Knock! The Government Bans People From Going Home During The COVID-19 Pandemic

Illustration of travelers at Pasar Senen Station (Angga Nugraha / VOI)

JAKARTA - The government has finally decided to prohibit people from returning to their hometowns in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in various regions. This ban will come into effect on, 24 April.

This was conveyed by the Acting Minister of Transportation (Menhub) who is concurrently the Coordinating Minister (Menko) of Maritime and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan after a limited meeting with President Joko Widodo.

"The homecoming ban is effective as of Friday, April 24, 2020. There are sanctions, but for the implementation of sanctions that have been prepared, they will be effective starting May 7," Luhut said in an online press conference broadcast on the Cabinet Secretariat's official YouTube account, Tuesday, April 21.

Just like Jokowi, Luhut also emphasized that this ban was taken after the Ministry of Transportation conducted a survey three times and the last one was held on April 15. As a result, around 21 percent of people still want to go home during the pandemic like now, despite the socialization.

The homecoming ban is enforced for the Greater Jakarta area and other areas that are included in the Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB), as well as the red zone for the spread of COVID-19. Meanwhile, the implementation, said Luhut, will be regulated by the regional government.

"The ban on going home will not allow the traffic of people to go out and enter the area, especially Jabodetabek. However, logistics is still justified (entry), it is still permissible for the flow of people inside Jabodetabek or what is known as agglomeration," he said.

Luhut also emphasized that mass transportation in the Jabodetabek area such as the Commuter Line will still be allowed to operate to make it easier for people who work, especially in the health sector or other sectors who are still allowed to work as long as Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) are enforced.

This decision, said Luhut, was taken after the Ministry of Transportation found that most workers in this sector were riding the commuter line on the Jakarta-Bogor route.

The ban on going home, also will not make the toll road closed. According to him, later toll roads will only be limited to logistics vehicles or other purposes such as banking. Together with the TNI and Polri, the Ministry of Transportation will continue to prepare technical steps related to the banning of homecoming, including ensuring that the flow of logistics is not obstructed.

The Minister of Religion (Menag) Fachrur Razi, who participated in the limited meeting, also spoke up about the recently established ban on going home. He said, the Ministry of Religion approved the ban on homecoming which was taken several days before the fasting ceremony took place considering that many people took this momentum to go home to their hometowns.

So that this prohibition, he said, would not be in vain. It is different if it is announced in the middle of the month of Ramadan.

"At the beginning of Ramadan, we had already made preparations to return to our hometown, as if it were permissible. Suddenly it was announced in the middle of Ramadan that it was not allowed, so it seemed like our planning was in vain," said Fachrur.

So, with the announcement of the ban on going home, it is hoped that no more people are getting ready or planning to return from assistance amid the widespread spread of COVID-19. The community is also asked to continue to worship at home and be happy to welcome the month of Ramadan.

"Without reducing our enthusiasm for Ramadan, we should stay in our respective places, with our nuclear family. We carry out the obligatory prayers, tarawih, tadarus and so on in our respective homes. I hope this will not disturb our joy in welcoming Ramadan in the least. this year, "he said.

Moreover, people must remember that going home during a pandemic like this brings more bad things. This includes being able to spread viruses in their hometowns that are unconsciously in the bodies of travelers.

"Homecoming, we always underline, indeed the harms are more in the current situation than the benefits,"

Minister of Religion Fachrur Razi

As previously reported, 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 is not only based on survey results but also because currently assistance for people affected by COVID-19 economically, such as basic food assistance and social assistance including pre-employment cards have been distributed.