Governor of Special Region Capital of Jakarta Province, Anies Baswedan, has announced the regional government’s decision to extend the Transition Period of Large-Scale Social Distancing (Pembatasan Sosial Berskala Besar Transisi), starting from 4 January 2020 until 17 January 2020. This is executed through the issuance of Governor of Special Region Capital of Jakarta Province Decree No 1295 of 2020 on the Extension of Transition Period of Large-Scale Social Distancing Enforcement Toward a Healthy, Safe and Productive Society.
Emphasis has been placed by the Regional Government of Special Region Capital of Jakarta Province continuous enforcement of 3Ts implementation, for the purpose of identifying active cases. Anies Baswedan expects the public’s disciplinary to implement 3M (wash hands, wear masks, and social distancing) on their daily basis, to curb the spread of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (“Covid-19”). The decision to extend the Transition Period of Large-Scale Social Distancing is made by considering assessments made by the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Alam, BNPB) and the Faculty of Public Health University of Indonesia, concluding there has been an increase of the number of active cases in Jakarta.
Following the government announcement, there are also some other restrictions and/or requirements that are still applicable during or after the extension.
Requirements for Year-End-Holiday-Traveler
Before the announcement of the above extension, the Central Government has released a policy, as governed under the Covid-19 Handling Task Force Circular Letter No. 3 of 2020 on Health Protocol regarding Passenger Travel Made Throughout the Christmas and Welcoming New Year 2021 Holiday During the Covid-19 Pandemic (“Circular Letter 3/2020”)1 and its Addendum.2
Circular Letter 3/2020 stipulates that, among others, (i) domestic passengers that travel to and from Bali by using airplanes must attach their RT-PCR negative result, while for those passengers that travels by using land and/water transportation must provide their antibody rapid test negative result and (ii) only domestic passengers that travel to and from Java by using airplanes and trains must attach their antibody rapid test negative result. This regulation will remain valid and applicable until 8 January 2021.
Restriction for Foreigners from Entering Indonesian Territory
On 7 December 2020, delivered by Mrs. Retno Marsudi in the press conference for the Arrival of Covid-19 Vaccine in Covid-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery Committee (Komite Penanganan Covid-19 dan Pemulihan Ekonomi Nasional, KPCPEN), the Central Government has announced its policy to forbid all foreigners to enter Indonesian Territory for 14 days, starting as of 1 January 2021, save for the foreigners that are holders of diplomatic residence permit, official residence permit, holder of limited residence permit and permanent residence permit. This restriction is taken by the Central Government as a form of anticipation of the discovery of a new variant of Covid-19 in several countries around the world.
Following the announcement, the government has stipulated this restriction under Covid-19 Handling Task Force Circular Letter No. 4 of 2020 on Health Protocol Regarding Passenger Travel during the Covid-19 Pandemic (“Circular Letter 4/2020”).3 The enactment of Circular Letter 4/2020, however, will not be revoked or replace Circular Letter 3/2020 and its Addendum, as long as the implementations of the Circular Letter 3/2020 and its Addendum are consistent with Circular Letter 4/2020.
Central Government’s order to tighten the Large-Scale Social Distancing implementation in Java and Bali Province
As further anticipation to handle a new Covid-19 variant whilst keeping balance between the public’s health and national economic recovery, the Central Government, through the minister of economic coordination who is also the Chairman of KPCPEN, Airlangga Hartarto, announced the Central Government’s policy to tighten the implementation of large-scale social distancing in several provinces, including Special Capital Region of Jakarta Province. Official announcement occurred on 6 January 2020 as Airlangga delivered the result of limited meeting with President Joko Widodo at Istana Negara.
According to this policy, business and offices that are not included as essential sectors are allowed to operate with a limitation to 25% of maximum capacity. While for businesses engaged in essential sectors and construction activities may operate 100% by rigidly applying operational hours, office capacity and health protocols. Moreover, through this policy, the Central Government stipulates that shopping mall operational hours are limited until 7.00 p.m. Dine-in facility restaurants may only be limited into 25% of maximum capacity.
This policy will be enforced starting from 11 January until 25 January 2021, where following this press conference, the policy will be further set forth under a respective Regional Government Regulation, Ministry of Home Affairs Regulation and Minister Instruction, of which the Minister is responsible with handling the Covid-19 pandemic.
- COVID-19 S, ‘Surat Edaran Nomor 3 Tahun 2020 – Regulasi | Satgas Penanganan COVID-19’ (covid19.go.id, 2021) <https://covid19.go.id/p/regulasi/surat-edaran-nomor-3-tahun-2020> ↩︎
- COVID-19 S, ‘Addendum Surat Edaran Nomor 3 Tahun 2020 Tentang Protokol Kesehatan Perjalanan Orang Selama Libur Hari Raya Natal Dan Menyambut Tahun Baru 2021 – Regulasi | Satgas Penanganan COVID-19’ (covid19.go.id, 2021) <https://covid19.go.id/p/regulasi/addendum-surat-edaran-nomor-3-tahun-2020-tentang-protokol-kesehatan-perjalanan-orang-selama-libur-hari-raya-natal-dan-menyambut-tahun-baru-2021> ↩︎
- COVID-19 S, ‘Surat Edaran Nomor 4 Tahun 2020 Tentang Protokol Kesehatan Perjalanan Orang Dalam Masa Pandemi Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) – Regulasi | Satgas Penanganan COVID-19’ (covid19.go.id, 2020) <https://covid19.go.id/p/regulasi/surat-edaran-nomor-4-tahun-2020-tentang-protokol-kesehatan-perjalanan-orang-dalam-masa-pandemi-corona-virus-disease-2019-covid-19> ↩︎
