Government Pledges Stricter Control of Exodus Ban

The government has promised to exercise stricter control over the ban on the upcoming Idul Fitri exodus. However, this attempt is seen as a big challenge without the support of a legal umbrella and tough sanctions.

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

Prospective passengers of the Jayabaya and Jayakarta trains line up to enter Pasar Senen Station, Jakarta, Wednesday (31/3/2021). The ban on exodus Lebaran 2021 has made a number of residents have the strategy to return to their hometowns, one of which is to go home early.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The surge of new Covid-19 cases following extended holidays in 2020 serve as a valuable lesson to prevent the recurrence following Idul Fitri in 2021. The government has pledged to prepare more stringent measures in accordance with the 2021 mudik (exodus) ban.

The exodus ban will be in effect on 6-17 May 2021 for state civil servants (ASN), the Indonesian Military (TNI), National Police (Polri), state-owned enterprise (BUMN) employees, private employees and other elements of society. Before and after the exodus prohibition period, the public is called upon to avoid traveling to other regions except under urgent conditions.

Based on reports received by the Committee on Covid-19 Control and National Economic Recovery, the rate of active Covid-19 cases in the country has declined to 7.4 percent, far below the world average of active cases of 17.3 percent. But the mortality rate in Indonesia, standing at 2.7 percent, is still higher than the world average of 2.17 percent.

Also read: Further Instructions on ‘Mudik’ Ban Waited

“The President has asked to use caution,” said Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy when contacted at the end of a plenary cabinet meeting on the control of Covid-19 ahead of the fasting month and Idul Fitri at Merdeka Palace Jakarta on Wednesday afternoon (7/4/2021).

In 2020, as recorded by Kompas, people still went back to their hometowns despite the government prohibition.

President Joko Widodo, added Muhadjir, expressed the necessity for accurate and strict measures in implementing this year’s Idul Fitri exodus prohibition policy. It’s because as experienced last year, Covid-19 cases sharply increased after Idul Fitri due to the lack of accurate and stern control over the restriction of activity or the ban on travel.

In 2020, as recorded by Kompas, people still went back to their hometowns despite the government prohibition. Besides using private vehicles, some of them moved from one mode of public transportation to another.

The Coordinating Economic Minister concurrently Chairman of the Committee on Covid-19 Control and National Economic Recovery, Airlangga Hartarto, in his virtual press statement following the cabinet meeting said after Idul Fitri in 2020, new daily Covid-19 cases increased by 93 percent. Covid-19 cases also surged after the extended holidays in August, October as well as Christmas and New Year.

KOMPAS/Tangkapan layar

Screenshot of Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi Monday (29/3/2021).

Threatening

Several countries in Europe and Asia are again facing spikes in Covid-19 cases. This condition indicates that Covid-19 remains a threat. On the other hand, a survey by the Transportation Ministry has shown that public interest for homebound trips is quite high. Some 33 percent of residents, totaling 81 million people, would return to their hometowns during Idul Fitri if there was no government prohibition. Meanwhile, if the government imposes an exodus ban, 11 percent or 27 million people still want to return to their hometowns.

“The President has assigned us to carry out mitigation so that what happened last year (case surges) won’t recur,” said Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi.

One of the actions to be taken is to set up blockades in more than 300 locations. The Transportation Ministry will reduce railway services nearing Idul Fitri. Sea transportation will also be limited.

The public always seeks to find some way to leave.

A public policy observer, Agus Pambagio, described the exodus ban as an ineffective way of preventing infection. This is among others due to the public’s lack of discipline. “The public always seeks to find some way to leave,” he said.

Besides, the exodus ban is also only stipulated in a ministerial circular so it is not legally binding. Sanctions cannot be applied either because there’s not a strong enough legal umbrella that governs the exodus prohibition.

Also read: Celebrating Lebaran May Change but Not Its Meaning

Kompas/Riza Fathoni

Passengers are waiting for an inter-city bus to depart from the Pulo Gebang Integrated Terminal, Jakarta, Friday (26/3/2021). The Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (PMK) Muhadjir Effendy said that the Government will prohibit the 2021 Eid homecoming on May 6-17, 2021, the decision was taken by considering the high risk of COVID-19 transmission, especially after the long holiday.

Circulars

At a meeting with Commission V of the House of Representatives, Director-General of Land Transportation of the Transportation Ministry, Budi Setiyadi, said the directors general within the ministry would issue circulars on the more technical aspects of the exodus ban. The rule among others concern vehicle capacity rates, vehicles operated by relevant operators and transportation modules.

Yet there are still chances for members of the ASN, TNI, Polri and the public to travel for special purposes such as visiting relatives who are ailing, have died, or on assignment.

Yesterday, Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Tjahjo Kumolo signed Circular No.08/2021 concerning Restrictions on Interregional Travel and/or Exodus and/or Leave for State Civil Servants during the Covid-19 Pandemic. “The ASN and families are banned from traveling to other regions and or to hometowns from 6 to 17 May 2021,” said Tjahjo, as written in the circular.

Also read: Celebrating Lebaran, the New Way

But there’s an exception for the ASN going on official trips and doing important tasks. They are required to possess assignment letters signed by at least echelon-II officials or working unit heads.

Several regional heads also welcome the exodus ban by appealing that local residents abide by the policy for the common good. “The government still bans exodus trips. The public should sincerely accept it for the sake of common safety. Please obey the rule,” said East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa.

The ASN and families are banned from traveling to other regions and or to hometowns from 6 to 17 May 2021.

In the meantime, regional administrations also anticipate the likelihood of residents traveling home. Micro-scale public activity restrictions (PPKM) will be optimized in regional control operations.

“With the PPKM, (isolated exodus travelers) can be accommodated in villages (halls), neighborhood units, community units or certain other places. There are places for them. The region will prepare isolation spaces,” said Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo in Semarang.

(NTA/ CAS/ BOW/ NIK/MEL/ RTG/ DIT)

This article was translated by Aris Prawira.