SURABAYA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said Juanda International Airport Surabaya in Sidoarjo is allowed for foreign travelers (PPLN), including Umrah.
"It's open. It will be effective in the next 1-2 days for preparations and so on," said Coordinating Minister Luhut after holding a closed meeting with the Governor of East Java Khofifah Indar Parawansa and the forkopimda ranks in Surabaya as reported by Antara, Friday, March 11.
According to him, foreign travelers who have just arrived in Juanda still have to do a PCR swab test at the airport to confirm the health condition of the person concerned.
If it is negative, said Luhut, then it is allowed to return to the area of origin. However, if they are positive, they are required to undergo a quarantine period.
"Quarantine has been prepared at the hotel or Hajj Dormitory in Surabaya," said the Java-Bali PPKM Coordinator.
Luhut received information that until now there are still more than 8,000 prospective Umrah pilgrims in East Java waiting for departure.
Coordinating Minister Marves also said that he recently traveled to Saudi Arabia and said that there were no rules for swab tests.
"But when we checked, there were still those who came from abroad who were positive. That's why we don't want to spread them too, so they have to be quarantined for a while," he said.
"The first, second and booster vaccines are good to do and those who are old and have comorbidities (congenital diseases) must be careful," Luhut added.
Meanwhile, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa welcomed Juanda Airport which will be reopened for foreign travel, including Umrah.
According to him, this is a reinforcement and a spirit for economic revival, especially in the local area.
The East Java Provincial Government, he continued, had prepared strategic steps and identified standard operating procedures for Umrah services, both departure and return.
"Moreover, at the central level, it has been decided that there will be no return quarantine, if the PCR results are negative when they arrive in the country," he said.
The East Java Provincial Government together with the Surabaya City Government have prepared a quarantine for Umrah pilgrims arriving via Juanda, namely at the Sukolilo Haji Dormitory and BPWS on the Bangkalan side.
"We hope that Umrah pilgrims from East Java will continue to adhere to strict health protocols, both in Indonesia and in Saudi Arabia," said Khofifah.
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