Jakarta PSBB Is Not Yet Optimal, There Are Still Many Offices That Do Not Apply To Work From Home

Jakarta, which is still busy despite the implementation of the PSBB (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - Head of the Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling COVID-19, Doni Monardo, said that the implementation of Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) in DKI Jakarta has shown positive developments. However, what should be noted is that it is not optimal because many offices do not follow the government's advice to work from home.

This was conveyed by Doni, after holding a limited meeting with President Joko Widodo who previously asked that the implementation of the PSBB be evaluated.

"What is still not optimal is office activities and work in factories. This has resulted in the transportation mode being filled with people," Doni said in a press statement broadcast on the Cabinet Secretariat's official YouTube account, Monday, April 20.

Doni also emphasized that the central government through the Ministry of Transportation did not impose a halt to public transportation such as commuter lines, because they heard input from workers who still had to leave the house.

This is because some workers, such as hospital workers or public facility service workers, continue to work. If they don't leave, following the government's recommendation, what happens they can become new unemployed because they are fired from their company.

"The workers who partially work in sectors that cannot be left behind, such as hospital staff, service facilities still have to work. Otherwise they are considered truant and risk deducting their salaries and salaries and even being laid off because they do not have an office," he said.

So, Doni then asked all leaders, structural officials, and managers of human resource management (HR) in each of the offices affected by the PSBB to comply with the provisions that had been submitted by the government. This includes providing leeway to work from home to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Later, if there is an office or factory that does not implement the health protocol as stated by the government, it is not impossible that there will be sanctions and fines given.

In fact, after holding several ministries and institutions to hold joint meetings led by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Investment, the government agreed to install CCTV in factories and carry out inspections in offices with the aim of preventing the activities of many people in one place that could cause the spread of the virus.

Doni also asked the Regional Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling of COVID-19 to provide stricter sanctions for offices or companies that have not complied with health protocols.

"There are still some of the Jabodetabek PSBB that have not been effective, correct. But we have seen the progress from a few weeks ago, meaning that bus stops, stations, terminals have experienced a lot of decline. But the problem is not in the transportation, but in the upstream area, namely many workers who work in offices," he said.

Doni also hopes that this PSBB can be a momentum to improve personal and collective discipline. Moreover, after this policy was implemented in several regions, although the number of positive cases of COVID-19 continued to rise, the figure was much smaller than the figures modeled by experts that had been there before.

As previously reported, in a limited meeting with the Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling of COVIdD-19, President Jokowi asked that the implementation of the PSBB be evaluated. "What are the shortcomings? Plus and minus what? So that we can fix them," said Jokowi when opening the ratas.

The implementation of the PSBB is regulated in Government Regulation No. 21/2020 signed by President Jowi on March 31, 2020. Before the regions can implement the regulation, PSBB must first obtain permission from the Minister of Health, Terawan Agus Putranto.

Currently, there are two provinces and 16 districts and cities that have submitted and implemented the PSBB. These areas are two provinces, namely DKI Jakarta and West Sumatra. Then for districts and cities that have been implemented the PSBB is Bogor Regency, Bogor City, Depok City, Bekasi City, and Bekasi Regency.

Furthermore, South Tangerang City, Tangerang City, Tangerang Regency, Pekanbaru City, Makassar City, Tegal City, Bandung City, Bandung Regency, West Bandung Regency, Sumedang Regency, and Cimahi City.