West Java Governor Asks for Jakarta-Style Large-Scale Social Restriction
Jakarta. West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil has asked the central government to allow Jakarta's satellite cities to impose the same large-scale social restriction which will be in place in the capital starting Friday.
Bogor, Bekasi and Depok are the three West Java cities that form the Greater Jakarta area, along with Tangerang in the province of Banten.
On Monday, Ridwan requested the restriction, known by its acronym PSBB, to be implemented in the entire Greater Jakarta area.
The governor argued that 70 percent of Indonesia's Covid-19 cases are found in Greater Jakarta, more than a good reason to extend the restriction beyond the capital.
"Almost 70 percent of Covid-19 cases [in Indonesia] are found in Greater Jakarta. [This is why] the restriction imposed in the capital should also be implemented in Bogor, Bekasi and Depok," Ridwan said in a statement.
He said a Jakarta-only PSBB would not be effective since there is a lot of movement of people in the area known as Jabodetabek – short for Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi.
"We should not think in terms of regional administration anymore. The Health Ministry should take the initiative, along with the Covid-19 Task Force, to implement PSBB outside Jakarta as well," Ridwan said.
He made the suggestion in a teleconference with Vice President Ma'ruf Amin, officials from the Health Ministry, the Home Affairs Ministry and the Covid-19 Task Force, and Jakarta and Banten governors.
Ma'ruf acknowledged Ridwan raised an important issue and called on all the governors to work in partnership if the request is to be approved.
The Covid-19 Task Force's spokesman, Achmad Yurianto, said he agreed the PSBB should be extended to the Greater Jakarta area.
"Greater Jakarta should be regarded as one cluster if we look at it from the epidemiological standpoint. That way we can ensure a uniform approach to handle the spread of Covid-19 in the area," Achmad said.
West Java's Covid-19 Task Force spokesman Daud Achmad said the provincial government would submit a request for the implementation of PSBB in Bogor, Depok and Bekasi to the Health Minister on Wednesday.
"The decision has not been made, but we've at least agreed the Greater Jakarta area should be regarded as one cluster. Hopefully, the request can be granted as soon as possible," Daud said.