The Jakarta Metro Police is set to enforce a crowd control measure in some of the capital's most popular nightlife hangout areas following what it calls instances of noncompliance for health protocols.
The "Crowd Free Night" curfew, which we begrudgingly admit is a clever play on the Car Free Day (CFD) rule, will be implemented starting this weekend until at least the Enforcement of Restrictions on Public Activities (PPKM) is in effect in Jakarta. PPKM is set for its weekly extension review on Sept. 13.
Under Crowd Free Night, police officers will enforce a near-total curfew and disperse crowds in South Jakarta's Kemang and Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD), as well as along the stretch of Sudirman and Thamrin streets and Asia-Afrika street in Central Jakarta from 12am-4am every Friday and Saturday.
"Why these four areas? Because in the past few weeks, up to Sunday, there were many health protocol violations in these areas," Jakarta Metro Police Traffic Department Director Sambodo Purnomo Yogo said yesterday.
Without naming specific recent incidents that are still undoubtedly fresh in our collective memory, Sambodo said Kemang and SCBD nightlife have been alive and kicking lately, while Asia-Afrika street has been a popular site for illegal street racing.
Residents and hotel guests are among those who are exempted from mobility restrictions in the four areas while Car Free Night is in effect. Authorities have not outlined specific sanctions for violating the restrictions.