Indonesia Highlights: UK Travelers Barred from Indonesia | Jakarta Govt to Pull Emergency Brakes on PSBB | Pre-Employment Card Program to Continue in 2021

KOMPAS.com – Travelers from the UK are barred entry into Indonesia amid reports of a new Covid-19 strain that can spread faster.

Indonesia’s Transportation Ministry through its air transportation directorate general issued Circular No. 24/2020 on Air Transportation during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

In similar coronavirus-related news, Jakarta Vice-Governor Ahmad Riza Patria stated that the provincial government is likely to pull the emergency brakes of its large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) if Covid-19 cases continue its upward trend in the city.

The decision whether the current transitory PSBB will continue or whether it toughen up on Covid-19 measures will be decided closer to Jan. 3, 2021.

While the Jakarta Provincial Government has yet to decide on the next coronavirus measures, the Indonesian Vice-President, Ma’ruf Amin reassured the public that the country’s pre-employment card program will continue next year.

There are around 43 million Indonesians who are registered under the program even though the government aimed for 5.6 million registered applicants in 2020.

More details on today’s Indonesia news are highlighted below:

1. Indonesia’s Transportation Ministry Bans Entry of Foreign Travelers from UK due to New Covid-19 Strain

A spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation, Adita Irawati, said the issuance of Circular aims to prevent the spread of the new strain of the coronavirus reported in the UK.

“The ban on the entry of foreigners from the UK is the main point stated in Circular. Foreign nationals from the UK are prohibited to enter Indonesia, including transit passengers,” she added.

She added that the Circular was also issued to protect people’s health in Indonesia from imported Covid-19 cases.

“There is an increase in Covid-19 cases in Europe and Australia, so it is necessary to make additional arrangements for foreign travelers to protect Indonesian citizens from imported cases,” said Adita.

Source: http://go.kompas.com/read/2020/12/28/220807774/indonesias-transportation-ministry-bans-entry-of-foreign-travelers-from-uk-due-to 

2. Jakarta Government Likely to Pull Emergency Brakes on PSBB

The Jakarta Vice-Governor, Riza explained that the provincial government will assess the city’s Covid-19 cases in the days leading up to the deadline of the latest transitory PSBB on Jan. 3, 2021.