Prohibition For Eid Al-Fitr 2021 Homecoming Has Been Decided, Doni Monardo: Nothing Can Be Different

Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Doni Monardo (Photo: Public Relations of BNPB)

JAKARTA - Head of the COVID-19 Handling Task Force Doni Monardo emphasized that no official should issue a different narrative from President Joko Widodo regarding the ban on Eid 2021 homecoming on May 6 to 17.

This is because Doni said that Jokowi had emphasized several times that homecoming was prohibited. This decision was taken after going through various considerations, after obtaining input, and also data collected during the past year.

"The decision to prohibit this homecoming, please hope that the narrative is a single narrative. There should not be any official who has a different narrative from the central narrative. This is a state political decision and President Jokowi", Doni said in a virtual press conference, Monday, May 3.

Doni asked all people to follow Jokowi's directive. This is because if the restrictions on the movement of people who go home are relaxed like last year, there will be a spike in COVID-19 cases.

"If we let it be like last year we were late in issuing the announcement, there would be a 93 percent increase in cases, followed by a relatively high mortality rate", said Doni.

In fact, Doni estimates there are still 7 percent or around 18 million people who will still be desperate to homecoming during the tightening period. In fact, there are also people who before the month of Ramadan have returned to their hometowns.

Thus, at present, almost all provinces on the island of Sumatra have experienced an increase in cases, both active cases, and the death rate has increased in all provinces.

"Therefore, to all officials on the island of Sumatra to really evaluate as much as possible, don't be too late", said Doni.

Previously, President Joko Widodo banned all people, without exception, homecoming on the Eid Al-Fitr 2021 holiday for the sake of family safety. There are several reasons why this ban was imposed by the government, including the frequent increase in the number of COVID-19 cases during long holidays.

Through a video with a duration of fewer than seven minutes, the former Governor of DKI Jakarta understands that people miss their families in their hometowns, especially during the momentum of Eid Al-Fitr. However, the ban on going home is stipulated for the sake of mutual safety, including those in the village.

"I understand we miss our relatives at a time like this, especially in Eid. But let's prioritize safety together without going back to our hometown", said Jokowi in a video uploaded to the Presidential Secretariat YouTube account, Friday, April 16.