TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Jakarta Legislative Council (DPRD) Commission B chairman Abdul Aziz urged Governor Anies Baswedan to immediately take strategic measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. The Justice Prosperous Party (PKS) politician demanded the government stop the transition period to a new normal if virus transmission is out of control.

“If the enforcement of the social restriction on a large scale (PSBB) as in the beginning is necessary, we will support it. It is better to prioritize safety,” said Abdul to Tempo on Monday, July 13.

The Jakarta provincial administration reported an all-time daily high of 404 new COVID-19 infections on Sunday, July 12, bringing the total tally to 14,361.

The government, Abdul added, must come up with several plans in combating this pandemic. If plan A did not work, they must apply a spare plan, even though they have to impose restrictions as applied at the onset of the pandemic.

“I am very worried after seeing yesterday’s figure. Do not let us be like Surabaya,” Abdul stressed.

According to him, the government must have been able to develop pandemic mitigation. If the condition has become this bad, the government should have a projection when to stop relaxing the restrictions. “I think this is time to evaluate the policy relaxations.”

Abdul predicted that the central government will support Jakarta in enforcing the large-scale social restriction again since the COVID-19 transmission is increasingly out of control.

Read also: Anies Baswedan to Stop Transitional PSBB If Necessary

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