2020 Indonesia large-scale social restrictions
Large-scale social restrictions are currently in place in Indonesia in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The restrictions are implemented by local governments with the approval of the Ministry of Health. It includes measures such as closing public places, restricting public transport, and limiting travel to and from the restricted regions.
As of 1 August 2020, the restrictions have been approved or are in place for the entirety of Jakarta along with another eight regencies and cities.
Background
The first cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Indonesia on 2 March 2020, with two residents of Depok, West Java tested positive for the virus. By 15 March, with 117 confirmed cases, President Joko Widodo had called for Indonesians to exercise social distancing measures, with some regional leaders in Jakarta, Banten and West Java had already closes down schools and public places. In a statement the following day, he said he was not going for a full lockdown and lightly criticised regional leaders who tried or proposed to implement lockdown. By 26 March, Dedy Yon Supriyono, mayor of the city of Tegal, Central Java had announced that the city would be implementing a local lockdown measure, closing off multiple access points to and from the city, supposed to be the first city to do so in the country. But Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo revealed that only the area around city square being quarantined, as the central government also did not allow such city lockdown measure.Legal basis
On 31 March 2020, Jokowi signed into law Government Regulation No. 21/2020, which regulated large-scale social restrictions, allowing regional governments to restrict the movement of people and goods in and out of their respective localities provided they had received permission from the relevant ministry. The law also defined a "minimal" restriction as including school and work holidays, limitations on physical worship, and limitations on public gatherings. At the same time, Presidential Decision 11/2020 was also signed, declaring a national disaster. Both laws were based on the Law No. 6 of 2018 on Medical Quarantines, which had provisions for PSBB.By area
Jakarta
applied for a PSBB implementation in the capital on 4 April 2020, the first region to formally do so, and the request was approved on 6 April. The measure came into place on 10 April, and was initially intended to remain in place for 14 days. Jakarta's PSBB restricted motorcycle taxis from carrying passengers, banned eating in at restaurants, made it obligatory for hotels to accept people who are self-isolating, and required sporting activities to be done within the vicinity of one's own home. Schools, entertainment sites, and some other locations were closed down, while public transport was limited to operating at 50 percent capacity. Only those fulfilling "basic needs" and those working in certain sectors are allowed to leave their houses, and they would be required to wear face masks.To enforce these measures, the Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Regional Police set up checkpoints on main roads and bus terminals, numbering 33 initially. Due to the economic impact of the restrictions, the provincial government established a programme to deliver basic supplies including food, medical masks, and soap to poorer residents of the city.
Banten
PSBB for the Greater Tangerang area was approved by the Ministry of Health on 12 April. The restrictions, set to come into effect on 18 April, would permit factories to continue running, though they were required to exercise social distancing.West Java
After the Ministry of Health approval on 12 April, West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil issued PSBB orders for Bogor, Bogor Regency, Depok, Bekasi and Bekasi Regency, initially in effect between 15 and 28 April 2020, extendable if the virus continued to spread. Similar to Jakarta's, the measures restricted work except for certain vital sectors, limited study and worship activities, and restricted passenger counts in all vehicles, including public transport and private cars.Then following the Greater Bandung area which includes Bandung, Bandung Regency, West Bandung Regency, Cimahi, and Sumedang Regency were proposed to conduct PSBB by West Java Provincial Government to the Ministry of Health on 16 April 2020 and was approved by the Minister of Health the following day. For effective enforcement, it will be carried out according to the agreement of the Governor of West Java with the regents/mayors in the Greater Bandung area on 22 April 2020.
East Java
The PSBB in East Java was approved on 21 April 2020 by the Minister of Health for Surabaya and the two neighbouring regencies namely Sidoarjo Regency and Gresik Regency. Previously, the leaders of these three regions were asked by the Governor of East Java Khofifah Indar Parawansa to implement the PSBB in an official discussion. For Sidoarjo Regency, PSBB is implemented in 14 districts, while Gresik Regency applies PSBB in 8 districts.Riau
The city of Pekanbaru was approved by the Ministry of Health to implement PSBB on 12 April, citing a significant spread of the disease within the city. The measures are planned to come into effect on 17 April, and will include restrictions on gatherings, a partial curfew between 18:00 WIB and 05:00 WIB, and capacity restrictions in public transport.South Sulawesi
is the first region on Sulawesi Island that received PSBB approval from the Ministry of Health on 16 April 2020. Previously, the local city government submitted a PSBB to the central government on 14 April 2020. PSBB in Makassar takes effect on 24 April 2020.Central Java
is the first city in Central Java to be granted permission to implement the PSBB, with an approval letter on 17 April 2020. In Tegal, the PSBB began to be implemented on 23 April 2020.West Sumatra
is the first province after Jakarta to implement the PSBB. The Ministry of Health granted a permit to implement the PSBB on 17 April 2020 after being proposed by the Governor of West Sumatra Irwan Prayitno. PSBB begans to implemented from 22 April to 5 May 2020.Gorontalo
Submission of PSBB in Gorontalo Province was approved by the Minister of Health on 28 April 2020 after the previous submission was rejected.North Kalimantan
The submission of the PSBB at Tarakan on 18 April 2020 was approved by the Minister of Health on 19 April 2020, together with Banjarmasin. The PSBB was proposed because there was a significant increase and spread of COVID-19 cases in the city.South Kalimantan
Submission of PSBB in Banjarmasin on 17 April 2020 was approved by the Minister of Health on 19 April 2020. So that all city boundaries will be given guard posts.Central Sulawesi
Submission of PSBB in Buol Regency was approved by the Minister of Health on 28 April 2020. The submission of the PSBB by the Buol Regency Government was due to a surge in the number of positive cases in the area which caused Buol to be the region with the most positive COVID-19 cases compared to other regions in Central Sulawesi.South Sumatra
In South Sumatra Province there are two cities with PSBB status, namely Palembang and Prabumulih, with a separate Minister of Health approval letter dated 12 May 2020. As for these two regions, there are local transmissions or one area transmission.Circumvention
Despite the travel restrictions which suspends all passenger to travel outside areas with at least one confirmed case, many Indonesians have instead disregarded and attempted to evade the travel restrictions in order to perform the Mudik. This has caused scientists to raise concern that this evasion will lead to the diseases which can spread easily from Jakarta and nearby satellite cities, where the main outbreak is occurring, to other regions with weak medical facilities which would be unable to handle large numbers of cases.There are also few attempts on evading the travel restrictions which had been discovered by the police department, such as one of the cargo trucks was stopped only to found out the intermodal container is hiding a car with passengers inside to be transported from Java to Sumatra, and additional four cargo trucks were also detained when the driver attempting to bring 20 passengers from Jakarta inside the containers which were covered with tarpaulin.