Traffic Scrutiny Tightened Against ‘Mudik’ Travelers

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

The 2021 Ketupat Operation Forces Parade at the Jakarta Metro Jaya Police Presisi Field, Wednesday (5/5/2021). The parade, led by the Head of the Traffic Corps of the National Police, Inspector General Istiono, also released a joint team from the TNI, Polri and related agencies that would secure the ban on mudik (exodus) on Lebaran 2021. The police set up 381 insulating points from Sumatra to Bali.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - Traffic screenings at checkpoints will begin to be strictly enforced on Thursday (6/5/2021) through the Transportation Ministry and the police. Coordination among related institutions needs to be improved to address prospective mudik travelers’ tricks as they attempt to breach the ban.

After briefing forces on Operation Ketupat Jaya (Idul Fitri-related security measures) at the Jakarta Police headquarters, National Police traffic corps head Insp. Gen. Istiono said the operation would involve 155,000 joint personnel, consisting of 90,502 police officers, 11,533 military personnel and 52,880 people from other related institutions, such as the Jakarta public order agency (Satpol PP), the transportation office, the health office, the scouts and the Jasa Raharja insurance agency.

"Personnel are placed at 381 checkpoints to anticipate any breach by travelers who persist in embarking on mudik,” Istiono said in Jakarta on Wednesday (5/5/2021).

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He said personnel were also deployed at 1,536 security posts to deal with social and security disturbances.

The police have put up 596 community service posts and 180 integrated service posts to carry out security measures in public places, shopping centers, railway stations, bus terminals, airports, seaports and tourist attractions.

Fake documents are liable to criminal charges. Travelers on mudik will be told to go back.

The security personnel’s tasks will include overseeing the implementation of health protocols, checking mandatory documents, namely COVID-19 test results from no earlier than 24 hours and vaccination certificates.

"Fake documents are liable to criminal charges. Travelers on mudik will be told to go back. However, in the case that a document from the village can be provided, along with a negative swab test document, a person may continue the trip. If the result is positive, quarantine in the hospital will be recommended,” Istiono said.

KOMPAS/MELATI MEWANGI

Information board for check point prohibition of mudik (exodus) on Jalan Tanjungpura, Karawang, West Java, Wednesday (5/5/2021).

Jakarta Police traffic director Commissioner Sambodo Purnomo Yogo said all public and private vehicles from Greater Jakarta would be screened. Travel would only be allowed for logistics, death or illness or pregnant women about to deliver.

Exceptions would be made for government employees or military personnel on official trips. They would be obligated to produce letter of assignment, valid only for a one-way trip. Travelers on an emergency trip as verified by official documents issued by villages may also be exempt from the ban.

"Other than that, we will turn them back," Sambodo said.

Stickers

Regarding the issuance of special stickers that are distributed and affixed to buses, Director General of Land Transportation Budi Setiyadi said that buses with the sticker were to transport passengers for purposes other than mudik.

"We are ensuring that buses with special stickers do not serve mudik travelers and have met the terms and conditions according to the regulations of [COVID-19] task force and the Transportation Ministry," Budi said.

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In the last two days, residents have appeared to be negotiating traffic scrutiny by various means, from passing through less trafficked passageways to using unlicensed minibuses.

KOMPAS/VINA OKTAVIA

The Bandar Lampung City Covid-19 Handling Task Force checks the identity and Covid-19 test certificate from drivers from outside Lampung, Monday (3/5/2021).

Prior to the enforcement of the ban from May 6 to 17, the number of vehicles entering Central Java by toll roads and national highways in Brebes regency increased by almost 50 percent. The vehicles generally passed at night until early morning.

Pejagan-Pemalang toll road operational head Ian Dwinanto said around 27,000 vehicles had been recorded entering Central Java on May 4. It was an almost 50 percent increase from normal days, when 16,000 vehicles enter per day.

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As of this article’s publication on Wednesday, more than 35,000 vehicles had entered in the day. According to Ian, this was about 5,000 higher than the average daily number of vehicles in the seven days leading up to Idul Fitri 2019.

The timing of trips – from night until early morning – was chosen by travelers presumably to dodge the tight scrutiny during the day.

Tightened checkpoints have also been imposed in Surabaya, Semarang, Bandung, Yogyakarta and South Sumatra. (XTI/MEL/OSA/LKT)

This article was translated by Musthofid.