Jokowi Prohibits People From Returning To Their Hometowns

President Joko Widodo (Photo: Twitter @jokowi)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo made a decision to prohibit people from returning to their hometowns in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in various regions. After taking this policy, Jokowi ordered his ranks to prepare for the ban and its impact in the future.

"At this meeting I would like to convey that we will prohibit all homecoming. Therefore, preparations related to this have begun to be prepared," said Jokowi while opening a limited meeting to discuss public anticipation which was broadcast on the YouTube account of the Presidential Secretariat, Tuesday, April 21. .

This policy, according to Jokowi, was taken after the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) conducted a survey of public interest in carrying out homecoming. He claims, as many as 68 percent of the people admit that they will not go home, 7 percent have returned to their hometowns, and the remaining 24 percent still want to go back to their hometowns from overseas.

"From the survey results of the Ministry of Transportation, it was conveyed that 68 percent did not go home, insisting on 24 percent of the homecoming, 7 percent who had gone home. This means that there is still a large number of 24 percent earlier," said Jokowi.

In addition, this policy was also taken after seeing social assistance and basic food assistance have been distributed, and Pre-Work Card assistance has been realized for people affected by COVID-19.

Some time ago, Jokowi issued a ban on Lebaran homecoming for state civil servants (ASN), TNI and Polri, as well as employees of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN).

"This homecoming policy is the first, today we decided that ASN, TNI and Polri as well as BUMN employees are prohibited from going home," Jokowi said in a press conference broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat YouTube account, Thursday, April 9.

Meanwhile, according to the Acting Ministry of Transportation who is also the Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, the government only issued an appeal rather than prohibiting it. Because the government believes, people will still go home even though it is prohibited.

"Even if it's forbidden, people want to go home, go home," said Luhut some time ago.

He added, rather than issuing a ban, the appeal for prohibition to return home is considered sufficient. "When you go home, you will definitely carry the disease. Almost certainly you will carry the disease. And if you bring the disease in the area you can die. Can your family, we recommend that you do not go home," he said.

To smooth this appeal, said Luhut, social assistance will be given to reduce the flow of homecoming. Especially from the capital city of DKI Jakarta, which is the epicenter of the spread of COVID-19.

In addition, this appeal was also issued in order to maintain economic rotation in Indonesia. "We suggest to the president and the president to be clearer to see that if this is done, the impact that will be most affected is the lowest society," he said.