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COVID-19: Govt to tighten security at ‘mudik’ ban checkpoints as Idul Fitri approaches
“We have to be prepared for more people trying to travel. Therefore, we will add more personnel to safeguard the checkpoints,” Transportation Ministry spokesperson Adita Irawati said during a press briefing on Tuesday.
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Travelers disembark from a ship at the Ketapang port in Banyuwangi, East Java, on Tuesday. (Antara/Budi Candra Setya)
T
he government will tighten its monitoring of the Idul Fitri mudik (exodus) ban as the Islamic holiday, which falls on May 24 and 25 this year, approaches, the Transportation Ministry said.
“We have to be prepared for more people trying to travel. Therefore, we will add more personnel to safeguard the checkpoints,” Transportation Ministry spokesperson Adita Irawati said during a press briefing on Tuesday.
The mudik ban, which is based on Transportation Ministerial Regulation No. 25/2020 signed by acting minister Luhut Pandjaitan on April 23, applies to all types of mass transportation as well as to private vehicles and is seen as crucial to prevent the SARS-CoV-2 virus from spreading from the epicenter of Jakarta and West Java to other regions of the country.
Read also: Jokowi calls for caution in easing of PSBB after ‘mudik’ ban relaxation
Violators will either be stopped or turned back. Buses that have been allowed to operate will be given a special sticker.
“After the holiday ends […] we will continue to monitor the roads and will have tow trucks on standby. We will also spray incoming vehicles with disinfectant,” Adita said.
The Transportation Ministry last week allowed public transportation to resume operations by opening all air, land and sea transportation services, a move that drew strong criticism from experts.
The government, however, has been adamant that the mudik ban is still in effect despite relaxations on restrictions.
