Jakarta. The Indonesian capital Jakarta begins to implement "large-scale social restriction" on Tuesday after Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto grants the city government the power to enforce the policy in an effort to contain the coronavirus pandemic. 

The restriction, known as PSBB in the 2018 Law on Health Quarantine, is an epidemic containment measures a step below total area lockdown.

Some economic activities would still be allowed to go on under PSBB, but schools and offices would be closed, public transportation restricted, while religious congregations and other mass-gatherings would be banned.

"The letter [granting Jakarta the power to impose PSBB] has been signed by the health minister and is now being delivered to the Jakarta city administration," Achmad Yurianto, the Health Ministry's director-general of infectious disease prevention and the government's Covid-19 Task Force spokesman, said on Tuesday. 

Jakarta can impose the restriction for 14 days and extend it if the city government deems it necessary, Yurianto said. 

Syafrin Liputo, the head of Jakarta's transportation department, said his office would limit the number of private vehicles allowed on the road as part of the restriction.

Currently, the city is suspending its number plate-based traffic limitation system, known as the odd-even policy, to try to reduce the number of residents taking public transportation during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The implementation of the PSBB will allow the city government to limit the activities of office workers legally – instead of resorting to issuing suggestions to companies as it did in the past month. 

"Under PSBB, we will extend restrictions not only on the MRT, LRT dan TransJakarta but also on other public transportation and private vehicles," Syafrin said. 

Teguh P. Nugroho, the head of the Greater Jakarta Ombudsman, said on Tuesday that Governor Anies Baswedan should follow up on the minister's decision by issuing detailed regulations and procedures for implementing the restriction. 

"The Jakarta governor must immediately issue a legal basis for implementing the PSBB, including all the details. Those include activities or programs that must be implemented during PSBB as well as support for people affected by the policy," Teguh said. 

Teguh also said the city government must hold talks with the administrations of the Greater Jakarta satellite cities – Bogor, Bekasi, Depok and Tangerang – as soon as possible to discuss measures to limit people's activities and mobility in the region, a megalopolitan of more than 30 million people. 

Seven Prohibitions

A Health Minister regulation released at the weekend set detailed stipulations for a large-scale social restriction.

First, a region under PSBB must prohibit teaching and learning activities in schools. Jakarta has closed schools for almost a month now.

Second, companies and government agencies must reduce the number of staff working from offices to a bare minimum with few exceptions, such as first responders and medical workers. 

Third, places of worship should be closed.

Fourth, all public places must be closed, except for some establishments that provide basic supplies such as grocery stores and pharmacies. 

Fifth, all activities involving crowds, including political rallies, sport or entertainment events and academic or cultural gatherings are to be canceled. 

Sixth, public transportation must limit the number of passengers it is allowed to carry and must never be operating at full capacity.   

Lastly, the police and the military must cease all activities except for military operations. The police will take care of the duty of keeping law and order.