TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan asked residents to be aware of Covid-19 transmission among family members ahead of the upcoming long weekend from late October to Early November. Anies said that people usually gather with their relatives during a holiday.

The Jakarta provincial government, Anies asserted, could not supervise the implementation of the predetermined health protocol up to the personal level.

"The government can monitor [the application of the health protocol] in public places, from entertainment venues, stations, to restaurants. But not in people's houses," said Anies in Jakarta Metro Police HQ on Monday, October 26, 2020.

Anies appealed to the public to not take off their face masks although they are gathering with their relatives, adding that the city administration was concerned about the post-holiday situation since many Jakartans often leave the town during days off.

"[Covid-19 cases] usually increase after the holiday," the governor said, recalling the surge in positive cases in just two weeks after the long holiday last August and May 2020.

The central government has determined Wednesday, October 28, and Friday, October 30, 2020, as collective leave day (cuti bersama), one day before and after the national holiday on the birthday of Prophet Muhammad which falls on Thursday, October 29, 2020.

Anies Baswedan claimed that about three weeks ago, he had asked the central government to reconsider the policy. "But the central government has decided to keep the long holiday. That's alright. We are now carrying out the decision and anticipating all the side effects," he said.

ADAM PRIREZA