TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian said the new rule of dining in restaurants such as food stalls, which is capped at 20 minutes, indeed sounded funny. This applies to areas under the level 4 public mobility restrictions or PPKM Level 4.

Tito explained the regulation was issued with a number of considerations. “That has been implemented for a long time in some other countries. Eating without talking much [with one another] so 20 minutes is enough, then given turns to other people,” he said in an online press conference, Monday, July 26.

The technical implementation of this rule, he added, was handed over to the regional government. Tito hoped the local authorities including the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP), the National Military (TNI), and the National Police (Polri) supported the policy.

Tito also asked the public to understand and obey this rule. “Please understand why there is a need for such a time limit,” he said.

Food business owners were also expected to cooperate, while Satpol PP assisted by the TNI and Polri were asked to monitor and ensure the rule implementation.

“Starting by using persuasive, prevention, dissemination, up to coercive approach. And of course in polite fashion and not using excessive force,” Tito Karnavian said.

The detailed rule regarding the dine-in was stipulated in the Home Affairs Ministerial Instruction No. 24/2021 on PPKM Level 4 and 3 in Java-Bali. For areas under PPKM Level 3, restaurants were allowed to serve dine-in customers for 30 minutes each.

Read: PPKM Level 4: Restaurant Owners Question 20-minute Dine-in Limit

DEWI NURITA