Jokowi Plans Large Scale Social Restrictions Policy

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has announced a policy on large-scale social restrictions in an effort to mitigate the spreading of the coronavirus. Jokowi also instructed his ministers to promulgate implementing regulations for the policy, which will enable it to be applied in all regions.

"In implementing large-scale social restrictions policy, to prepare clear implementing regulations, as guidelines for provinces, regencies/cities to allow them to work," Jokowi said through while opening a limited meeting to discuss reports of the Corona Mitigation Task Force through video conference on Monday, March 30, 2020.

Presidential Spokesman Fadjroel Rachman said that the large-scale social restriction is part of Indonesia's effort to combat the coronavirus. The policy is also in line with instructions to a more stringent implementation of physical distancing conveyed by President Jokowi.

Jokowi added that the policy may need to be complemented with a policy on civil emergency. "I have stated that [the policy] needs to be complemented with a policy on civil emergency," Jokowi said.

At the end of his opening speech, Jokowi reiterated that the policy on health quarantine, including regional quarantine, is the authority of the central government. He added that such an issue is not the authority of the regional government.

EGI ADYATAMA