Together We Obey ‘PPKM Darurat’

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Traffic is running smoothly on Jl. Abdullah Syafei in South Jakarta on Wednesday (8/4/2020). Jakarta will implement tougher restrictions to enforce social distancing starting Friday (10/4/2020). All types of activities will be reduced, except for activities in eight key sectors, including healthcare services, food and communication. The government has vowed to ensure access to basic necessities.

The implementation of restrictions on community activities can only succeed in preventing the transmission of COVID-19 if everyone obeys them.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo decided to reimpose social restrictions from July 3 to 20 to halt the resurgence of new COVID-19 cases. The new measure, called emergency public activity restrictions (PPKM Darurat) is imposed in Java and Bali, as well as in 43 cities outside the two islands.

On Wednesday (7/7/2021), the number of the daily COVID-19 cases reached 34,379, the highest since March 1, 2020. The spike in new cases began on May 15, when the number of daily cases totaled only 2,385. With the resurgence of new cases, many hospitals are unable to accept new patients. More than 300 people have died at home after being unable to get treatment at hospitals. It is predicted that new cases will further increase.

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The implementation of PPKM Darurat was not an easy choice for the government as it also meant forcing the community to reduce their activities outside the home. Consequently, the government must provide social protection for the community groups severely affected by the restrictions and halt in economic activities.

Limiting activities in public spaces has a direct impact on the business world. The informal sector and small and medium enterprises (SME), such as retail traders, restaurants and food and beverage businesses, transportation services and labor-intensive industries, have suffered a decline in income. The PPKM Darurat policy can widen the economic gap.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

Police officers instruct a motorcyclist to wear a mask as they inspect vehicles on Jl. Ciputat Raya in Pasar Jumat, South Jakarta, Friday (10/4/2020). Inspections at Jakarta checkpoints are being carried out by a joint team from the Jakarta Police and the Jakarta Transportation Agency with large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) now in place in Jakarta for 14 days from April 10 to April 23, 2020.

Professional workers generally find it easier to work from home with the help of the internet. Meanwhile, informal sector workers and labor-intensive manufacturing workers find it difficult to work online. Likewise, micro and small businesses are mostly still unable to use the internet and digital technology.

In the current emergency situation, everyone has to make sacrifices.

Amid the continued increase in new COVID-19 infections and in the number of people who have died, strict restrictions on the movement of people became an option. The vaccination drive to prevent people from becoming seriously ill when infected has not yet reached the target. However, the success of PPKM Darurat depends on our compliance and discipline, including the business world, which should also follow the rules. As of Wednesday, 103 non-essential and non-critical offices in Jakarta were found to have violated the rules. In the current emergency situation, everyone has to make sacrifices.

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Business owners and leaders are required to find new ways to manage their businesses amid the changing times. Improving worker skills and facilitating employees to work remotely is one of the ways.

On the other hand, the government needs to continue to help the business world through tax incentives for companies and wage subsidies for workers, among other measures that were enacted last year.

Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo

Residents unwind after a tour of the city by cycling under the shade of trees in front of the main gate of Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in Jakarta on Monday (25/5/2020). Streets were much quieter than usual during the Lebaran holiday because many city parks and attractions in the Greater Jakarta area were closed due to the imposition of large-scale social restrictions

We need to look beyond the current PPKM Darurat. Temporarily halting activities in public spaces with the target of reducing COVID-19 transmission will bring more good than harm to the people. Not participating in PPKM Darurat and continuing to open economic activities can cause a further increase in new cases and can result in greater economic losses nationally.

(This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi).