TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Home Affairs Ministry asked Jakarta provincial government to postpone official overseas travel through the evaluation letter on the draft of the 2022 regional budget regulation.

“In order to prevent transmission of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Indonesia, Jakarta should postpone official trips abroad,” as read in the letter.

The ministry said the Jakarta government could still allocate the budget for urgent overseas duties as regulated in the Home Affairs Ministerial Letter of No.099/6937/SJ dated December 6, 2021.

“Among urgent activities for the interests of the Jakarta Provincial Government are the program that has been in collaboration with foreign parties.”

The budget allocation for official travels in the 2022 Regional Budget was recorded at Rp278.92 billion, or 0.37 percent of the total regional expenditure. Of which, Rp175.48 billion budget was allocated for domestic travel, while the rest Rp103.43 billion for overseas travel.

Jakarta Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) Deputy Chairman, Mohamad Taufik, said the council is still discussing the ministry’s evaluation letter. “Several things, according to the DPRD, must not be scrapped,” said Taufik to Tempo on Thursday, January 6.

Read: Indonesia Temporarily Closes Door for Countries with Omicron Infections

LANI DIANA WIJAYA