TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Law and Human Rights Ministry’s Directorate General of Immigration recorded 10,853 Indonesians left the country during the year-end holiday season from December 23-27. The government has previously urged people against traveling overseas due to the spread of the Covid-19 Omicron variant.

On a daily average, 2,700 Indonesians traveling overseas for multiple reasons in the past four days.

“We cannot forbid Indonesians from leaving the country as what the government has conveyed is an appeal, and is not enough to officially ban Indonesian citizens to travel abroad,” said the Immigration's directorate general spokesperson Arya Pradhana Anggakara in a statement on December 28.

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan on December 27, said there are 27 confirmed Omicron cases in Indonesia. Most of the cases came from people traveling abroad to various countries while the rest are workers of the Wisma Atlet emergency hospital who were exposed to the virus from the travelers in quarantine.

The minister asserts that people should avert from traveling abroad during pressing times like this. He said that domestic tourism would suffice if people intend to go on vacations.

Read: 11 Indonesians Infected with Omicron Traveled to Turkey, Japan, Korea

SYAHARANI PUTRI | CAESAR AKBAR