Jakarta gets more powers to curb activities amid outbreak

JAKARTA • Indonesia yesterday approved a request by the Jakarta administration to impose more large-scale social curbs on the capital, the epicentre for coronavirus cases in the South-east Asian country.

President Joko Widodo has focused on combating the spread of the disease through social distancing policies, but has resisted the tough lockdown measures adopted in many countries.

The world's fourth-most populous country registered 247 new coronavirus infections yesterday, taking the total to 2,738.

Twelve more deaths were recorded, taking the total to 221.

Most of Indonesia's confirmed cases are in the Jakarta city region.

Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto yesterday signed a central government order, which was reviewed by Reuters, giving approval to the Jakarta government to impose a range of social restrictions in the city region over the next two weeks, with state agencies helping to implement them.

The curbs include limiting religious events, defence-related and socio-cultural activities, and the closing of schools and workplaces.

Jakarta had already shut schools and enacted some restriction measures after declaring a state of emergency that runs until April 19, but most are voluntary and Governor Anies Baswedan has pushed for a tougher response.

Dr Pandu Riono, a public health expert at the University of Indonesia, said with some of the restrictions already in place, "this is just a stamp that makes it look official".

Mr Anies and his representatives did not respond to media requests.

There has been friction between the central and local governments on social distancing measures, with some regional leaders attempting to lock down their borders to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Hundreds of thousands of Jakarta residents have left in recent weeks for their home villages, officials said. And there are growing fears that the annual exodus of millions of people to their hometowns across the archipelago for the Muslim Ramadan holiday would accelerate the outbreak.

Indonesia's Religious Affairs Minister Fachrul Razi on Monday issued prayer and worship guidelines for Ramadan, asking Muslims not to hold joint breakfast gatherings and to pray at home instead.

This year's Ramadan, expected to start on April 23 and end on May 23, traditionally includes gatherings, such as breaking-of-fast dinners known as iftar and nightly prayers known as tarawih, usually done in mosques. The ministry also advised Muslims not to perform itikaf (seclusion in a mosque).

Meanwhile, Jakarta has launched a special police unit to guard the burials of coronavirus victims over concerns that scared residents could try to block such funerals, the authorities said on Monday.

REUTERS, JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK