President: Avoid Peak of Idul Fitri Traffic

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

Presiden Joko Widodo

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has urged the people to go to their hometowns early to avoid traffic jams, while they can still arrange their days off from work. Health protocols must also be applied.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — A severe traffic congestion is predicted during the peak of the Idul Fitri holiday from April 28-30. Therefore, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has called on the public to avoid the peak of mudik (homecoming) traffic by traveling to their hometowns earlier.

Speaking in a virtual press briefing at the Merdeka Palace, Central Jakarta, on Monday afternoon (18/4/2022), Jokowi said a survey conducted by the Transportation Ministry indicated that the number of private vehicles and motorcycles used by the people for the Idul Fitri holiday would reach 23 million cars and 17 million motorcycles.

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Congestion is expected to occur during the peak of the mudik (homecoming trip). "Therefore, I invite the public to avoid the peak of the mudik on April 28, 29 and 30," said the President.

The President appealed to the people to go to their hometowns early at a time when many are still adjusting their days off from work.

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

Bus passengers have started to fill Kalideres Terminal, West Jakarta.

The government will apply a strict traffic management system to prevent traffic jams such as by imposing the odd-even license plate policy, one-way traffic and a ban on trucks from entering toll roads ahead of the Idul Fitri holiday.

The President also reminded the public to remain disciplined in implementing health protocols when going home such as wearing a mask, washing hands and maintaining proper distance from others.

The President also warned that the post-Idul Fitri gathering, known as halalbihalal, should be held according to health protocols and advised to not eat or drink.

Regarding the traveling restrictions, the President said children under the age of 18 years old who had received two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine were not required to show a negative antigen test or PCR test result. The President also warned that the post-Idul Fitri gathering, known as halalbihalal, should be held according to health protocols and advised to not eat or drink. "Regarding activities at entertainment venues or crowded places, they must be carried out according to health protocols," Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto said during a press briefing held after a meeting on the implementation of restrictions on community activities at the Presidential Office, Central Jakarta, on Monday (18/4).

Safety

Separately, speaking during a discussion held by the Merdeka Barat 9 Forum entitled “Safe and Healthy Homecoming Trip”, the spokesperson for the Transportation Ministry, Adita Irawati, said there were two safety targets during the Covid-19 pandemic: namely, safety with regard to health, and safety with respect to transportation. According to her, the safety of the people both in health and transportation is an important responsibility of the government.

"For this reason, we have checked directly, in the field, with operators, including Pelni (state-owned shipping company), KAI (state-owned railway company) and other transportation operators, to ensure such transportation options are worthy and ready to operate," said Adita.

KOMPAS/FRANSISKUS WISNU WARDHANA DANY

The validation process for free homecoming registration by the Ministry of Transportation at the validation post for the Tangerang City Transportation Service, Jalan Dr. Sitanala, Karangsari Village, Neglasari District, Wednesday (13/4/2022).

Previously, during an inspection of the Kampung Rambutan bus terminal, East Jakarta, on Sunday (17/4), Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi emphasized that health and safety aspects should remain concerns.

Antibody levels

Meanwhile, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said, based on the results of the latest Covid-19 serological survey conducted by the Health Ministry and the School of Public Health, the University of Indonesia, 99.2 percent of the Indonesian people already had antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19. He said that such an antibody level was relatively quite high.

"In December 2021 the people’s antibody titer was 500-600, now it's 7,000. This shows that many people already have antibodies and the antibody levels are also high,” said Budi Gunadi.

It is also the basis of the government’s policy to ease the travel restriction for the Idul Fitri holiday.

According to him, the antibody level is high enough to protect the people from Covid-19. With such a high antibody level, people who are infected can recover quickly and reduce the risk of hospitalization. It is also the basis of the government’s policy to ease the travel restriction for the Idul Fitri holiday.

Even so, the head of the professional development division of the Association of Indonesia Epidemiologists, Masdalina Pane, said that immunity to Covid-19 could not be used as an indicator to determine the measures needed to prevent the spike of Covid-19 cases.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin

In December 2021, the results of a serological survey showed that the people’s immunity had reached 85 percent. However, in reality, the high immunity did not prevent a spike in new Covid-19 cases. At the beginning of January, the weekly positive rate was still around 1 percent. The figure jumped to 17.61 percent on Feb. 20, 2022 (Kompas.id, 25/2/2022). (CAS/INA/TAN)

(This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi)