For Jokowi, Lockdown And Micro PPKM Have The Same Meaning: Don't Argue

President Joko Widodo (Photo: RI Cabinet Secretariat)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that the regional quarantine or lockdown with the Implementation of Micro-Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) has the same essence to limit community activities.

So he asked no one else to question these two things in the midst of an increase in COVID-19 cases.

"I convey that Micro PPKM and lockdown have the same essence, namely limiting community activities. For that, there is no need to argue", Jokowi said in a video caption that was shown on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube account, Wednesday, June 23.

He said the government did get a lot of input from various parties in handling the increase in COVID-19 cases. However, the currently strengthened Micro PPKM policy is still considered the most appropriate to stop the spread of the virus.

Moreover, this restriction can reach down to the lowest level, namely the village or community without turning off economic movements in the community.

"Micro PPKM is still the most appropriate policy to stop the spread of COVID-19 to the village level or the root of the problem, namely the community", said the former governor of DKI Jakarta.

Even so, Jokowi sees that the current implementation of Micro PPKM is not comprehensive and is still sporadic in several areas. In fact, if the implementation is correct, this policy should be able to strengthen the control of the rate of positive cases of COVID-19.

"Therefore, I ask the governors, regents, mayors to confirm their commitment to sharpen the implementation of Micro PPKM, to optimize the COVID-19 post formed in each village and sub-district area", he said.

As previously reported, according to President Jokowi's direction, the government has decided to extend and strengthen the implementation of Micro PPKM for two weeks from June 22 to July 5.

"Well, now what the President has ordered, we limit red areas such as Jakarta, between 70-100 percent of the total we limit the name whether we really use the name micro PPKM", said Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin.

"The point is that we significantly restrict the movement of residents so that we can control the rate of transmission," he continued.

He explained that there were restrictions in several regencies/cities that were in the COVID-19 red zone. Such as the implementation of the work from home (WFH) policy of 75 percent and the remaining 25 percent working in offices for red zone areas.

Meanwhile, face-to-face lessons at schools were stopped, places of worship were closed, and community celebrations were only allowed at 25 percent of capacity.

"In this micro PPKM, restaurants, food stalls, cafes, street vendors, and hawker stalls, both stand-alone and in markets, shopping centers, or malls are allowed to eat in places with a maximum capacity of 25 percent", he said.

Meanwhile, for take-away or take-away services via order, the operational hours will be limited to 20.00 WIB.