Minister Urges People From Sumatra To Java To Pass The Examination

Minister budi Karya Sumadi (Irfan Meidianto/VOI)

JAKARTA - Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi asked people who use crossing transportation from Sumatra to Java to conduct rapid antigen tests first. He also reminded the lampung provincial government and COVID-19 task force to tighten supervision.

"We ask the ranks of Lampung Provincial Government and The Special Task Force of Covid-19 Lampung, led by the Chief of Police to continue to conduct surveillance so that no one passes the examination," he said, quoted Sunday, May 23.

Budi also urged that the public can conduct tests independently from their home town so that they do not have to queue for tests at a number of checkpoints and avoid the buildup of passengers at Bakauheni Port.

In anticipation of increasing the mobility of people after Lebaran from Sumatra to Java and preventing the transmission of COVID-19, the government has established a Special Task Force of Lampung Province commanded by the Lampung Police Chief to ensure that people who will cross have conducted rapid antigen tests.

Recorded, there are seven rapid antigen test check points in Lampung and Bakauheni, namely at The Rest Area Post KM 172 B, Post Rest Area KM 87 B, Post Rest Area KM 20 B, Port Post Bandar Bakau, Port Post Bandar Bakau Jaya, Post Simpang Hatta, and Begadang IV.

"I am very grateful to the special task force and local government for carrying out health check activities, because this must be done at the crossing. From the calculation of 400 thousand people who have crossed into Sumatra, about 33 percent have returned. For that there must be more effort from us to make sure they do rapid antigen tests," he said.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Task Force on Handling COVID-19 Doni Monardo said that until May 22, 2021, there were as many as 37,931 people who conducted rapid antigen tests at 7 (seven) check points, with the results there were as many as 338 people declared positive and immediately taken to the isolation place that has been provided by the Special Task Force of Lampung Province.

"During the examination, we were able to find 338 positive people. What does that mean? if these 338 people escaped into the java island then the impact will be very easy to give transmission to other citizens," he said.

Therefore, the Ministry of Transportation gives great appreciation to all elements of the Task Force both from the Police, TNI, Ministry of Transportation, KKP, health workers, and all who have worked hard.

Based on data from PT ASDP Ferry Indonesia, on May 22, 2021, out of a total of about 420,000 people who crossed from Merak to Bakauheni from April 22 to May 14, 2021, the number of people returning from Sumatra was only about 138,066 people or about 33 percent.

After the end of the homecoming period, Bakauheni Port has fully operated 7 piers with the number of ships operating per day as many as 32 ships. On Tuesday, May 18, there was a peak passenger movement in Bakauheni which reached 33 thousand passengers.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday 19 May and Thursday 20 May recorded about 30 thousand passengers per day who crossed from Sumatra to Java.