Fury over transport lockdown backflip

Jakarta’s total transport lockdown springs VIP-sized leak five days after the government imposed a ban on all air, rail, road and sea travel.

Elite Indonesian navy frogmen wearing protective gear keep watch on their boats as more than 300 Indonesian crewmembers of the Explorer Dream cruise ship are brought ashore at Jakarta for testing and quarantine. Picture: AFP

Indonesia’s total transport lockdown of the capital has sprung a VIP-sized leak just five days after the government imposed a ban on all air, rail, road and sea travel to prevent a mass exodus for Ramadan and the Eid holiday and an explosion of COVID-19 cases.

The policy backflip has sparked confusion and sharp criticism of an administration seen to have consistently placed economic considerations over public health.

Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi was the first to signal a weakening of government resolve on Tuesday when he told reporters after meeting President Joko Widodo that concessions would be made for “business people” travelling for business purposes and not simply “going home” for the most important holiday in the Islamic calendar.

Within hours, the Lion Air Group announced it would resume all domestic flights, including in and out of so-called COVID-19 red zones such as Greater Jakarta, which is supposed to be in lockdown to prevent the traditional homecoming next month (known as mudik) in which tens of millions of people join their families for Eid.

The group is owned by Indonesian businessman Rusdi Kirana, a former presidential adviser and deputy chairman of the National Awakening Party, a key member of the governing coalition. Mr Rusdi was appointed Indonesia’s ambassador to Malaysia in 2017.

Among the broad list of people the Lion statement listed as exempt from the air travel ban, supposedly in place until June 1, are business people, entrepreneurs, state guests, diplomats, members of international organisations, law enforcement and special repatriation services.

The national carrier, Garuda, also announced a resumption of flights on Wednesday.

Critics say the new rules will be impossible to enforce and question how airlines will distinguish between people flying for legitimate business purposes and those simply wealthy enough to circumvent the rules that will now apply only to the hoi polloi.

“Do you have to wear a tie and suit to prove you are a business person?” aviation analyst Arista Atmajati questioned.

On Twitter, the reaction was fast and furious.

“Business people? It’s more like rich and powerful people who can fill government’s pockets,” wrote one commentator.

Indonesia’s transport ban had barely come into effect last Friday when the government rolled back a ban on international travel, creating mass confusion and contradictory narratives from different ministries.

The Indonesian government has been heavily criticised for its sluggish and uncertain response to the pandemic, its scant testing and reluctance to enforce lockdowns to curb the spread of the virus.

Until last week, President Jokowi (as he is known) had insisted he would allow mudik to proceed in order to protect the economy and the millions of informal workers returning to their villages as work dried up in the cities.

A mudik ban was imposed only after repeated warnings from public health experts that at least 120,000 people could die by the end of May if a nationwide lockdown were not imposed.

Wednesday’s backflip appeared to catch even the transport ministry by surprise with spokeswoman Adita Irawati insisting the ban was “still in effect with no special exceptions besides the exceptions for cargo, logistics, repatriation flights and so on”.

“We want to clarify that ‘business people’ in this case are business people carrying goods or logistics required by the public, including food, medical supplies and so on, while still applying strict health protocols,” she said.

Passengers able to avoid the ban must provide a health certificate and letter from their company stating they are travelling for business purposes.

But Alvin Lie, a commissioner with the Indonesian ombudsman’s office, said the exemptions “further reduce the credibility of the government in the eyes of the public, who see them flip-flop on policies with misleading announcements and half-baked ideas”.

“We understand the airline industry is struggling to breathe. Banning all flights was not an easy decision for the government but it must be done,” Mr Lie said.