Preventing Spread of New COVID-19 Variants, Government Imposes Entry Restrictions

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan at the press conference on the latest update of public activity restrictions (PPKM),Monday (20/09/2021). (Photo: Presidential Secretariat’s Youtube Channel)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has reminded his staff to be cautious and careful of new COVID-19 cases that can possibly rise despite the current improving and controlled situation in Indonesia.

President Jokowi highlighted this issue during a Limited Cabinet Meeting on the Evaluation of Public Activity Restrictions (PPKM) on Monday (20/09).

“The President in a meeting this morning reminded us all that we should be cautious and careful since many countries are having a sudden rise in new cases after covid cases start to slow down,” Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said during virtual press conference on the latest update of PPKM on Monday evening (20/09/2021).

In order to prevent the spread of new variants of Corona Virus, namely Mu and Lambda variants, the Government imposes entry restrictions on Indonesian and foreign citizens coming to Indonesia by land, sea, and air transportations.

“We do not want Mu and Lambda variants to spread in Indonesia. Therefore, in order to prevent that, the Government will impose entry restrictions and strict quarantine requirements on foreign citizens as well as Indonesian citizens travelling from abroad,” Luhut emphasized.

The Coordinating Minister continued to explain that the air entry points for international arrivals are only in Soekarno Hatta Airport, Tangerang, Banten province, and Sam Ratulangi Airport in Manado, North Sulawesi province. The sea entry points for international arrivals are only in Batam and Tanjungpinang, Riau islands, whereas the land entry points for international arrivals are only in Aruk and Entikong, West Kalimantan province, in Nunukan, North Kalimantan province, and in Motaain, East Nusa Tenggara province.

“The Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) and National Police (Polri) personnel will be assigned to intensively monitor hundreds of unmarked trails,” he added.

In addition to the entry restrictions, the Government also imposes strict regulations on international arrivals. Every traveler arriving in Indonesia should undergo a mandatory 8-day quarantine and take RT-PCR test three times.

“The Government also improves quarantine capacity and testing, mainly in land entry points,” he said. (DND/UN)(AW/MMB)