Village Task Forces Optimized as Residents Begin Mudik

Many people, especially informal workers, have started going home for mudik. In order to anticipate the spread of COVID-19, several regions have established a prevention task force at the village and subdistrict levels.

KOMPAS/ADITYA DIVERANTA

Prospective passengers await the scheduled bus departure at Kalideres Terminal, West Jakarta, Tuesday (20/4/2021). Some people speed up the homecoming for the second week of Ramadan.

BANDAR LAMPUNG, KOMPAS – The mudik ban imposed on May 6-17 has compelled some to return home earlier. The drop in turnover during the fasting month of Ramadan amid the COVID-19 pandemic is also a contributing factor, where informal workers in the service and culinary sectors, for example, have chosen to return home early.

On the other hand, increases in new COVID-19 cases across several regions have led a number of local administrations to optimize COVID-19 prevention task forces at the village and subdistrict levels. These regions are also blocking borders to suppress mobility, especially once the mudik ban comes into effect.

Nonetheless, people are still heading home. This, among others, was seen at the Kalideres Bus Terminal, West Jakarta, Tuesday (20/4/2021).

Also read: Keep Watchful Eye on Prevalent COVID-19

Doni Mulyadi (25), a tongseng seller, left Kalideres Terminal yesterday afternoon to return home to Pagar Alam, South Sumatra. He decided to go home because business was slow during Ramadan, with his stall located in the Menteng office area of Central Jakarta. Turnover dropped from Rp 1.2 million per day in Ramadan prior to the pandemic to Rp 500,000 per day at this time. He also chose to return home earlier due to the mudik ban from May 6-17.

I took the risk to go home this time.

Sugeng (52) with his wife and children also returned home by bus from Kalideres Terminal because his business ran low on orders. “I took the risk to go home this time,” he said.

Also read: President\'s Message Is Not Enough

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Aerial photo of a bus waiting for its scheduled departure at the Bekasi City Main Terminal in Bekasi City, West Java, Tuesday (20/4/2021). The government\'s policy to ban exodus (mudik) on May 6-17, 2021 in order to suppress the spread of Covid-19 has made some people choose to mudik early.

Early May

Kalideres Bus Terminal head Revi Zulkarnaen explained that the situation at the terminal is still slow despite a number of people rushing home for mudik. An increase in density of travelers at Kalideres Terminal is expected to occur May 1-5. “We are aware that the increase in bus passengers is expected to occur in early May,” he said.

Meanwhile, general manager of Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, Kicky Salvachdie, said that his side was reviewing the operation of the airport during the Idul Fitri mudik ban. According to his predictions, Juanda Airport’s operational time will be significantly reduced, estimated to only remain open for about 4-5 hours per day according to the flight schedule, which is exempt from the government’s mudik ban.

“Essentially, Juanda Aiport will continue to operate flights that fall within the exempt criteria. However, operational hours will be reduced as we will only serve a limited number of flights,” said Kicky.

Micro-PPKM

Yesterday marked the first day that micro-scale public activity restrictions (micro-PPKM) were extended for the sixth time. This policy, which has been intended to prevent the spread of COVID-19, will be in effect until Monday (3/5) in 25 provinces.

Home Ministry regional administration director general Safrizal, contacted in Jakarta, Tuesday, said that a trend in confirmed COVID-19 cases has been seen in West Sumatra, Jambi, Bangka Belitung Islands, Lampung and West Kalimantan. Therefore, the micro-PPKM will also be implemented within those five provinces, alongside the other 20 provinces that have been imposing the policy.

Also read: Government Pledges Stricter Control of Exodus Ban

In the implementation of the micro-PPKM, through Home Ministry Instruction No. 9/2021 concerning the extension of the micro-PPKM signed by Home Minister Tito Karnavian, Monday (19/4), it was emphasized that apart from being prohibited from returning home from May 6-17, travelers are also required to carry a permit from the village head and a letter stating they are COVID-19-free. The village head must also impose a 5 x 24-hour quarantine period for those who do not possess these documents.

KOMPAS/VINA OKTAVIA

The Bandar Lampung City Government established an isolation post in the city border area, Wednesday (14/4/2021)

Lampung COVID-19 handling task force spokesperson Reihana said that Lampung is now imposing the micro-PPKM. According to Reihana, they have instructed district and city administrations to intensify COVID-19 posts at the village and subdistrict levels to monitor the mobility of their citizens.

The Bandar Lampung administration, for example, has established a subdistrict task force and has blocked several city entrances to anticipate residents who return home early.

The West Kalimantan provincial administration has also established COVID-19 task forces at the village and subdistrict levels for the first time, in line with the implementation of the micro-PPKM. “With the inclusion of West Kalimantan in the micro-PPKM, all villages must form a [COVID-19] post. There are also posts that are not running that must be optimized again,” said West Kalimantan Health Agency head Harisson.

Also read: Maintain Consistency

Mayor of Singkawang, West Kalimantan, Tjhai Chui Mie said that his party was ready to implement the micro-PPKM. “We are still devising actions to be taken,” he said.

In South Sumatra, however, the micro-PPKM is deemed not effective enough to suppress the spread of COVID-19.

Sriwijaya University epidemiologist Iche Andriyani Liberty, in Palembang, argued that the micro-PPKM in South Sumatra has not reduced the most important indicator of COVID-19 control, which is the recovery rate, still at 89.19 percent, or below the national figure of 90.8 percent. Meanwhile, the death rate is still at 4.8 percent, whereas the national figure stands at 2.7 percent.

Experiences from the previous year and this weekend have shown that that as activity increases, so do the number of cases.

Meanwhile in Jakarta, COVID-19 cases have increased over the last two weeks. Jakarta Health Agency head Widyastuti, through a written statement, said there were 6,075 active cases on April 5, which increased to 6,884 active cases on April 19. “Experiences from the previous year and this weekend have shown that that as activity increases, so do the number of cases,” said Widyastuti.

(RAM/HLN/ESA/JUM/CIP/NIK/MEL/WER/COK/ZAK/NSA/NCA/AIN/ERK/DIV/TAN)