Jakarta. The Jakarta Manpower, Transmigration and Energy Agency on Thursday temporarily shut down 23 companies for violating the large-scale social restriction, or PSBB, imposed on the capital to limit the spread of Covid-19. 

So far, a total of 200 companies have continued to operate in Jakarta under the PSBB after obtaining permission from the Industry Ministry.

The agency's head, Andri Yansyah, said on Friday the temporary closures were imposed because the companies did not belong to the 11 business sectors still allowed to operate during the restriction. 

These sectors are healthcare, food and beverages, energy, utilities, communication services and media, bank and financial services – including the capital market, logistics and distribution of goods, hospitality, construction, groceries and essential industries.

"The 23 companies will be temporarily shut down until the PSBB has been lifted. Also, 126 companies have been given a warning," Andri said.

Meanwhile, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan on Thursday asked acting Transportation Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan to suspend the city's Commuter Line trains (KRL) as long as the restriction lasts in the capital.

According to Anies, public transportation in Jakarta has been limiting operating hours and the number of passengers following PSBB regulations.

"Before [the pandemic], the average number of passengers on the TransJakarta and JakLingko network was 1 million per day. Yesterday there were only 91,000 passengers. The MRT and LRT have also seen significant falls in passenger numbers. From an average of 100,000 passengers per day to 5,000 on the MRT and only 200 passengers on the LRT," Anies said.

The director-general of land transportation at the Transportation Ministry, Budi Setiyadi, said on Friday as long as offices and businesses continue to operate in Jakarta and refuse to tell staff to work from home, suspending the KRL will be difficult.

"All activities that do not comply with the gubernatorial regulation [on PSBB] must be closed down. This point has to be emphasized, there are fines involved," Budi said in a teleconference.

According to Budi, before a decision on suspending KRL operations can be made, the Jakarta governor should stamp down heavier on companies that violate PSBB regulations and risk rendering the policy ineffective.

On Friday, Anies said the capital is likely to extend the restriction, which began on April 7, after 14 days.