Covid-19: PSBB Approval in the Regions, and to Report Budget for COVID-19 Handling

Last updated on May 11th, 2021 at 08:46 am

Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto has approved the request from five districts and cities in West Java to implement the so-called large-scale social restrictions, also known as PSBB, to contain the novel coronavirus epidemic in Greater Jakarta, where around 70 percent of confirmed cases were found.

“I need to enforce the large scale social distancing measure (PSBB) for the Bogor District, Bogor City, Depok City, Bekasi District, and Bekasi City, in the effort to accelerate handling of COVID-19,” said Terawan in a statement received on Sunday.

Bekasi District, Bekasi City, Bogor District, Bogor City and Depok City would soon follow Jakarta that has implemented the PSBB since Friday, April 10. The restrictions apply to certain businesses, religious activities, private vehicles and public transportation, as well as gatherings in public places, with fines or jail time for people not heeding the rules.

The stipulation was stated in the Health Minister Decree Number HK.01.07 / Menkes / 248/2020. This was signed by the Minister of Health on Saturday, April 11.

Previously, West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil submitted a PSBB request for the five districts and cities in Jakarta’s eastern and southern borders. He was citing the need for prevention policies that must be in tune with those of Jakarta.

Dedie A. Rachim, Bogor’s deputy mayor, said the city was coordinating with other four regions to implement the restriction simultaneously.

Also, the regions need to coordinate the deployment of aids package with other ministries and institutions, Dedie said.

It was not immediately known if three other commuter cities — South Tangerang, Tangerang City and Tangerang District — in the southern and western borders of Jakarta will follow suit. The three belong to Banten province. which ranked third in the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases.

Once PSBB is implemented, there will be stipend from the central government. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo announced on Thursday that the central government would provide a stipend of Rp 600,000 ($38) each month for the next three months. It will be distributed to around 1.6 million people in Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi. That was on top of an expanded conditional cash transfer and food aids for the poor.

Besides those five districts and cities, Terawan has also approved the implementation of PSBB in Pekanbaru, Riau Province, in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19.

“The Pekanbaru mayor has earlier suggested to impose PSBB in the city, and based on the evaluation of our technical team, PSBB can be implemented in Pekanbaru,” Terawan noted in a statement here on Monday.

Ministerial Decree No. HK.01.07/Menkes/250/2020 on PSBB was signed by the minister on April 12.

Before approving, the ministry’s team conducted an epidemiology study and evaluation on the city’s preparedness in terms of the social, economy, and other aspects.

Meanwhile, The East Nusa Tenggara provincial government has banned ships operating in the province from carrying passengers, except in the case of logistics.

The ban that endeavors to halt the spread of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) will be valid from April 13 to May 30, 2020, Chief of the East Nusa Tenggara Provincial Transportation Office Isyak Nuka stated here on Monday

Nuka, concurrently the area and transportation coordinator of the COVID-19 East Nusa Tenggara Provincial Task Force, made the statement in response to MV Umsini’s plan to carry passengers from the Central Java provincial capital of Semarang to East Nusa Tenggara. The ship was originally planned to call at Tenau Port in Kupang, the capital of East Nusa Tenggara Province.

He spoke of having sent the letter to the general manager of the Kupang branch of state-owned shipping company PT Pelni, with copies addressed to heads of state-owned ferry operators (ASDP) in Kupang, Saape, and Selayar, as well as speed boat operators.

The ban came in close heels to the first coronavirus case reported in East Nusa Tenggara on April 12, 2020, additionally the shortage of health facilities to thwart the spread of COVID-19 in the province.

Not all districts could get approval for PSBB, which are proposal of Sorong, West Papua, and Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan have been rejected.

The PSBB status rejection has been stipulated in the Ministerial Decrees numbered SR.01.07/ Menkes/ 24 and SR.01.07/ Menkes/ 24, for Sorong and Palangka Raya respectively, on 12 April 2020.

The Sorong City Government had previously applied for PSBB status on April 6, with Palangka Raya submitting their proposal two days later.

On the two regional government proposals have been equipped with data and documents on the number and distribution of COVID-19 cases, epidemiological links, and consideration of regional readiness in social, economic, and other aspects.

“Based on the results of epidemiological studies and other aspects, as well as taking into account the considerations of the COVID-19 Task Force, the City of Palangka Raya in Central Borneo Province is not yet able to be under PSBB,” wrote Terawan, as according to a copy of the letter as quoted by Tempo, on Monday, April 13, 2020.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) noted that a number of regions have yet to report the alterations made to their regional budget allocations to fund health and economic efforts as well as social safety nets, geared to dampen and handle the COVID-19 outbreak, respectively.

In terms of alterations in budget allocations for funding health management efforts, out of 542 autonomous regions, 508 regions had reported the alterations in their budgets, as of 12 April 2020.

“While 34 other regions have not reported (fund health),” said the Ministry of Home Affairs Acting Director General for Regional Finance, Mochamad Ardian Noervianto, in a written statement, on Monday, April 14, 2020.

On the other hand, 368 regions have reported their budgetary changes to fund economic efforts, while 174 other regions have not, including a number of provinces such as Jambi, Bangka Belitung, South Borneo, North Borneo, South Sulawesi, Bali, and West Nusa Tenggara

In regards to the provision of social safety nets, continued Ardian, 405 regions have reported their budget allocations for social programs, while 137 regions have yet to report their budget on the provision of social safety nets, including Provinces such as West Sumatera, Riau, South Borneo, Bali, and West Nusa Tenggara.

Not all districts can get approval for PSBB, which are proposal of Sorong, West Papua, and Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan have been rejected.

The PSBB status rejection has been stipulated in the Ministerial Decrees numbered SR.01.07/ Menkes/ 24 and SR.01.07/ Menkes/ 24, for Sorong and Palangka Raya respectively, on 12 April 2020.

As for the Sorong City Government had previously applied for PSBB status on April 6, with Palangka Raya submitting their proposal two days later.

On the two regional government proposals have been equipped with data and documents on the number and distribution of COVID-19 cases, epidemiological links, and consideration of regional readiness in social, economic, and other aspects.

“Based on the results of epidemiological studies and other aspects, as well as taking into account the considerations of the COVID-19 Task Force, the City of Palangka Raya in Central Borneo Province is not yet able to be under PSBB,” wrote Terawan, as according to a copy of the letter as quoted by Tempo, on Monday, April 13, 2020.

Provinces to Report Budget for COVID-19 Handling

On the other hand, the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) noted that a number of regions have yet to report the alterations made to their regional budget allocations to particular classifications include fund health, economic efforts, and social safety nets, geared to dampen and handle the COVID-19 outbreak.

In terms of alterations in budget allocations for funding health management efforts, out of 542 autonomous regions, as many 508 regions had reported the alterations in their budgets, as of 12 April 2020.

“While 34 other regions have not reported (fund health),” said the Ministry of Home Affairs Acting Director General for Regional Finance, Mochamad Ardian Noervianto, in a written statement, on Monday, April 13, 2020.

Besides, 368 regions have reported their budgetary changes to fund economic efforts, while 174 other regions have not, including a number of provinces such as Jambi, Bangka Belitung, South Borneo, North Borneo, South Sulawesi, Bali, and West Nusa Tenggara

Ardian continued, in regards to the provision of social safety nets,  405 regions have reported their budget allocations for social safety nets, while 137 regions have yet to report, including Provinces such as West Sumatera, Riau, South Borneo, Bali, and West Nusa Tenggara.