TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - As Tanah Abang Market in Central Jakarta saw a dramatic surge in the number of customers this weekend, Jakarta Metro Police asked the public to look for alternative markets to complete their holiday shopping before Eid al-Fitr.

“It is better to seek alternatives to other shopping centers because we know that several places such as Tanah Abang and Thamrin City are quite packed with people out shopping,” said the regional police spokesman Sr. Comr. Yusri Yunus in Tanah Abang on Sunday, May 2, 2021.

The appeal was made in order to prevent bigger crowds which might lead to Covid-19 transmission.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan confirmed there was a more than a twofold surge in the number of visitors at the city wholesale market.

“There is a jump in the number of visitors from 35,000 [on weekdays] to 87,000 on Saturday, and today, based on the preliminary data, the number is estimated at around 100,000,” said Anies at the market on Sunday.

Anies along with Jakarta Metro Police Chief Insp. Gen. Fadil Imran and the Regional Military Commander Maj. Gen. Dudung Abdurachman visited Blok A of the largest textile market in Southeast Asia on Sunday, May 2.

The three also inspected Thamrin City shopping center and Tanah Abang Station following a viral video of huge crowds of visitors to the markets ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holidays.

Jakarta Metro Police and the Indonesian Military set up security posts to anticipate further crowds at Tanah Abang Market. A total of 2,500 joint personnel were deployed to oversee the implementation of the health protocols.

Read: Jokowi Present at the Covid-19 Vaccination in Tanah Abang Market

ANTARA