Waiting For Luhut Pandjaitan's Decision Regarding Whether Or Not To Go Home In The Middle Of The COVID-19 Pandemic

Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The government seems to be taking a decision to ban homecoming. The Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) is even preparing official regulations regarding the ban on going home in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Director General of Land Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) Budi Setiadi said that the ban on going home will be stipulated in a Ministerial Regulation. He explained that the regulation will include sanctions for people who continue to go home.

"We are making the regulations. Planning for the Ministerial Regulations is ready for us. Already in the law firm," he said in a virtual press conference entitled 'Who is Going Home in the Middle of a Pandemic?', In Jakarta, Monday, April 20.

However, Budi explained, the final decision regarding the prohibition policy for prospective travelers in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic is in the hands of the Minister of Transportation Ad Interim Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan who is also the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment.

According to Budi, the finalization of the policy is still being discussed with related stakeholders. Budi said, in principle at the echelon one level of the Ministry of Transportation, the majority had the same view, namely prohibiting going home in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, again the final decision really depends on Luhut.

Prohibition of Ineffective Homecoming

Senior Researcher at the UGM Center for Transportation and Logistics Studies, Muslich Zainal Asikin, assessed that the ban on going home would not be effective. This is because the implementation of the large-scale social restriction (PSBB) policy currently does not regulate a prohibition on community mobilization. This means that people are still allowed to do activities outside the home.

For your information, PSBB provides exceptions to the limitation of transportation modes for a) public or private passenger transportation modes by taking into account the number of passengers and maintaining the distance between passengers, and b) transportation mode of goods by taking into account the fulfillment of the basic needs of the population.

"In principle, I am the most agreeable to the ban on going home. But the question is whether it is effective? No. Because PSBB still allows community mobilization. So later on when the prohibition of going home will be difficult," he said, when contacted by VOI.

According to him, currently the most appropriate is according to transportation facilities. If all the access to the homecoming route is made difficult, the community will feel uncomfortable, and have an impact on not wanting to stay home.

"All access is closed. Tolls should be closed, not an increased price. Because they will not see the price in its current condition. Border routes are tightened, vehicle inspections are carried out without interruption. It is made so that people are uncomfortable and it will effectively make them not want to go home , "he said.

In addition, said Muslich, the active role of the regional government and the people of the destination areas for homecoming must aggressively voice their resistance to those who come from the red zone, especially Jabodetabek.

"If the refusal comes from tight areas. Transportation facilities are made difficult, the guard is tightened, they will think why they will push themselves if the end will not reach their destination," he said.

Police Prepare Scenarios

The Indonesian Police ensure that they will continue to carry out routine annual humanitarian operations ahead of Eid Al-Fitr or Lebaran. This activity is known as Operation Ketupat 2020 during the Eid homecoming period in the midst of the corona virus or COVID-19 outbreak. There are two scenarios prepared.

Head of the General Information Section of the Public Relations Division of the National Police Headquarters Commissioner Asep Adi Saputra said that his party had prepared two special scenarios for the annual routine operations that were adapted to the situation and conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"If later the government decides to prohibit going home. Of course this will affect the pattern of operations," he said.

Asep said, if the government issues an official homecoming ban, the National Police will close all routes out and into DKI Jakarta. He emphasized that only vehicles that transport basic necessities, fuel and medical equipment will be allowed to pass for the handling of COVID-19.

However, according to Asep, the operation pattern will be different if the government does not prohibit homecoming or decides to only issue an appeal so that people do not go home for Lebaran. If there were no restrictions, then the pattern would be the same as last year.

Physical distancing illustration. (Ilham Amin / VOI)

However, continued Asep, supervision of travelers will be carried out at a number of check point locations. The police will also apply physical distancing.

"If later they are asked to be allowed (going home), then the pattern is still the same as last year. Only once again, the PSBB protocol and also the physical distancing that we must apply," he explained.

Asep said, if that happens then the Police will apply the current pattern plus mandatory physical distancing.

Currently, said Asep, the National Police and other related agencies are waiting for the government's decision regarding the homecoming.