Budi Sutrisno, Jakarta – The Transportation Ministry's Greater Jakarta Transportation Agency (BPTJ) has recommended that regional governments limit the use of inter-regional transportation services when widespread social restrictions are put into place as a way to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Following the issuance of the 2020 Government Regulation on Large-Scale Social Distancing, BPTJ issued a circular concerning restrictions on the use of transportation from and to Greater Jakarta during the pandemic.
The new regulation on large-scale social distancing limits the movement of people and goods by closing schools, workplaces, places of worship and public spaces within a controlled zone, but it does not restrict access between regions.
Through the circular, the BPTJ suggests transportation agencies and companies in Greater Jakarta temporarily stop some or all inter-regional transportation services.
It also recommends the Public Works and Housing Ministry, the Indonesia Toll Road Authority (BPJT) and all relevant stakeholders block all or some facilities, including toll roads, national roads and public transportation services to and from airports and sea ports.
Despite the bold recommendations, the Transportation Ministry said regional governments could only place such restrictions on transportation if they formally obtain approval from the Health Ministry regarding the declaration of large-scale social distancing measures in their regions.
In accordance with the new government regulation signed by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on Tuesday, regional heads must first make proposals to the Health Ministry, which later determines the implementation of large-scale social distancing measures in the areas, as stipulated in Article 6 of the regulation
"For areas in Greater Jakarta that later have a large-scale social distancing status, this BPTJ circular can be a guideline for limiting transportation services," Transportation Ministry spokesperson Adita Irawati said in a press statement on Wednesday.
Jakarta Transportation Agency head Syafrin Liputo said the Jakarta administration would follow the recommendation after it obtained a large-scale social distancing status.
"Once we have a decision from the Health Minister, yes, of course the transportation sector will carry out the restriction steps," Syafrin said on Wednesday.
Syafrin argued that such extreme social restrictions should not be done in Jakarta alone but in Greater Jakarta as a whole, which had been hard hit by the pandemic.
"Greater Jakarta is already integrated with its inter-line services. It has become one unit and can no longer be seen by its administrative divisions but by the massive movement of people from and to the areas," he added.