Emergency PPKM Plan, Anies: The Goal Is For Rescue

DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan (Photo: Diah Ayu Wardani/VOI)

JAKARTA - DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said that the plan to implement emergency community activity restrictions (PPKM) as a substitute for micro PPKM has the main goal of saving the community from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This is a rescue effort, not just a restriction. So, don't think that restrictions are for restrictions. No. The goal is rescue. To carry out rescues, restrictions must be made," said Anies at City Hall, Central Jakarta, Wednesday, June 30.

Anies said that today all levels of local government are still holding a coordination meeting for the preparation of emergency PPKM. DKI will be included in the handling of emergency PPKM throughout Java and Bali, led by Menkomarves Luhut Binsar Panjaitan.

In the meeting, the government discussed the provisions on the criteria for handling COVID-19 along with guidelines for its restrictions in each district/city.

"Those are all being finalized today by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment as chairman of the handling in Java, so that they will be announced throughout Java, not just for one or two locations," said Anies.

Anies admitted that he did not have special preparations to deal with emergency PPKM. He said, DKI was ready for various restrictive policies.

However, the surge in COVID-19 cases has forced DKI to struggle with handling COVID-19 patients in hospitals and isolation locations.

"There is no special preparation. We specialize in preparation for handling patients, handling isolation. But when it comes to policies, it has been more than a year that we are used to disciplinary action," he explained.

Previously, it was reported that the government would replace the stricter COVID-19 control system with an emergency PPKM. This replaces the micro PPKM which has been running for several months.

Head of the Task Force for Handling COVID-19 Ganip Warsito said the government would change a number of rules from the Instruction of the Minister of Home Affairs (Inmendagri) Number 14 of 2021 concerning micro-based PPKM.

Ganip leaked a number of regulations that will be tightened in areas with red zones (high COVID-19 risk) and orange zones (moderate COVID-19 risk).

If previously the government issued a policy of working from home or work from home (WFH) 75 percent only in areas with red zones, later the orange zone areas will be included in the regulation.

"For example, what will be implemented later is the implementation for PPKM activities. WFH and WFO will be applied at 75 percent and 25 percent for red and orange areas," he said.

In addition, the operational activities of the business sector will also be tightened. The operating hours of malls and shopping centers are shortened. Then, restaurants or restaurants will be prohibited from serving dine-in.

"For the economic sector such as this mall, it is only operational until 17:00. Restaurants are only allowed to take away, this is limited to 20:00," he said.

"These are some restrictions that will later be applied as a revision of the Inmendagri which is being guided to this day," he continued.