TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo has emphasized that the government has no plans to relax the enactment of the Large Scale Social Restriction (PSBB) policy in the immediate future, as the government is still focusing on the national mudik, or homecoming, ban for the coming two weeks.

"First, I want to emphasize that there is no relaxation of the PSBB policy, the public should not be mistaken that the government has begun to relax PSBB (enactment), not yet. There is no PSBB relaxation policy," Jokowi said when opening a limited teleconference meeting, from the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, on Monday, May 18, 2020.

As such, Jokowi has called Chief of the Indonesian Police Force, General Idham Azis, as well as the Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto, to ensure the effectiveness of the mudik ban.

In addition, the President has also reminded that the mudik ban is only applicable to limit the mobility of people, not goods. "Once again, transportation for logistics, government and health affairs, for the return of our migrant workers, and also for essential economic affairs can still proceed with strict health protocols," he said.

Although the government is currently preparing scenarios to relax the enactment of the PSBB, Jokowi continued, the decision regarding when the PSBB relaxation policy will be implemented has yet to be made.

In that case, the government will continue to pay attention to data and facts on COVID-19 transmission, including the number of new cases, recovery and deaths per day.

Previously, Jokowi has called for the public to live hand-in-hand with the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the ‘new normal,’ while also denying the notion to be a white flag in the fight against the pandemic.

According to Jokowi, the fight against COVID-19 will instead continue by prioritizing the application of health protocols. In addition, the government will organize for public affairs to gradually return to normal.

"Our lives have certainly changed to overcome the risk of this outbreak. That is a necessity. That is what many people call the new normal," Jokowi said, on Friday, May 15, 2020.

ANTARA | DIO SUHENDA (INTERN TRANSLATOR)