Jakarta – Several West Java regional administrations have stepped up efforts to ensure compliance with large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) as COVID-19 cases continue to mount throughout Greater Jakarta.
The Bekasi Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) shut down a crowded cafe in Grand Galaxy City, South Bekasi, on Saturday evening after footage showing scores of people gathering at the venue went viral on social media.
"A joint team sealed a cafe based on a tweet and an accompanying photo attachment of a music concert," Bekasi Deputy Mayor Tri Adhianto said on Sunday, as quoted by tempo.co.
He went on to say that prior to the closure, the joint team – consisting of officers from the local Satpol PP, the National Police and the Indonesian Military – had inspected the cafe and had discovered numerous violations of health protocols.
"This will prompt an evaluation by the Bekasi administration," he said, adding that the limited number of field officers had made it difficult to catch every PSBB violation.
Tri called on the public to contribute to the ongoing mitigation efforts and report activities that were detrimental to public health and safety through an official channel provided by the administration.
The Bogor Satpol PP closed down 10 villas and lodgings in North Tugu, Cisarua, following reports of violations of local COVID-19 protocols.
Bogor Satpol PP head Agus Ridhollah said his personnel had given a strict warning to the owners of the villas to prevent any future PSBB violations.
"We [sealed the villas] after an enforcement unit found that the owners had been renting the villas and [lodgings] to the public," Agus said on Sunday.
He said the owners had failed to abide by Bogor Regent Regulation No. 60/2020 on PSBB, which prohibited the renting of villas and accommodations to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The local Satpol PP, according to Agus, had also been cracking down on other local businesses found to have violated health protocols.
As of Sunday, West Java had recorded 20,954 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 387 deaths. (rfa)