"Starting today, military and police personnel will be deployed at crowded places in a bid to discipline the public to follow the health protocol in accordance with the PSBB rules," the head of state noted after inspecting the Bundaran Hotel Indonesia MRT station in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Jokowi revealed that security personnel will be deployed in four provinces and 25 districts and cities that have imposed PSBB.
Public discipline in applying social restrictions is expected to flatten the curve of the novel coronavirus transmission in the country, he emphasized.
The government is considering restoring normalcy in public activities in a new normal order.
In preparation for a transition toward a new normal amid the lingering pandemic, the government is drafting protocols for various activities to ensure that people stay safe and healthy, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, noted.
During his visit to the MRT station, the president was accompanied by Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, Indonesian Police Chief Gen. Idham Azis, Indonesian Military Air Chief Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto, and President Director of MRT William Subandar.
Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto has issued Ministerial Decree No. 328 of 2020 on the guideline to prevent and control COVID-19 transmission in offices and the industry amid the pandemic, as a guidance on implementation for a new normal.
In Jakarta, the country’s capital and COVID-19 epicenter, Governor Anies Baswedan has projected that normalcy would be restored and local residents would resume activities after the third round of large-scale social distancing (PSBB) ends.
"If we all remain disciplined, Jakarta can return to a new normal. Many people usually call it a new normal to refer to a new situation instead of a pre-pandemic situation," he remarked at the Jakarta City Hall on May 20.
However, Jakarta residents are expected to not lower their adherence to a disciplined lifestyle under new normal conditions, he emphasized.
“This (COVID-19 fight) is not yet over. I want to underscore that there is no relaxation. Do not think it is relaxed. Do not feel that it is over," he cautioned.
Achmad Yurianto, the government’s spokesperson for COVID-19 response, has also reiterated that amid the ongoing pandemic, the public will have to adapt to a new normal while being productive.
"We need to still be productive while prioritizing principles to protect ourselves from COVID-19. This then would become a fundamental behavioral change for all of us, and this is what we are calling the new normal," he explained.
He underscored the need for people to get accustomed to practicing health protocols, such as maintaining a safe distance from one another, wearing masks, and being selective about venturing outdoors.
Edited by Ine/Suharto
