Jakarta (ANTARA) – Communication and Informatics Minister Johnny G. Plate affirmed that strict punishment will be meted out to those found violating the COVID-19 quarantine regulations.

“Strict sanctions will definitely be imposed on those who violate it,” he noted in an official statement as quoted on Saturday.

The minister reminded that the pandemic was far from over and pressed for everyone to continue to comply with all COVID-19 regulations, including quarantine for all international travelers, in order to ensure safety of the people around and the community at large.

Plate believes that taking care of each other is only one key to surviving and surmounting the pandemic.

“Let us implement the existing health protocols and regulations related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The regulations that have been set up were subject to a series of studies to ensure that the entire community is protected,” he noted.

Quarantine regulations for international travelers are laid out in the Circular of the COVID-19 Task Force No. 20 of 2021. According to the circular, international travelers entering Indonesia must undergo quarantine, so they did not fall sick or infect other people.

“Moreover, there are currently many threats of the entry of a new variant of the coronavirus,” Plate noted.

The government imposed sanctions on international travelers found violating quarantine regulations, as it is stipulated in article 14 of the Infectious Disease Outbreak Act and article 93 of the Health Quarantine Act.

The imposition of health quarantine rules is supervised by the Integrated Joint Task Force comprising the national defense force, police force, ministries, related institutions, and volunteers that are led by the National Defense Force’s Operational Commander, under the control of the Commander in Chief of the Joint Defense Area Command.

“Let us supervise the rules that have been set, together. All the rules are intended solely to protect the health and safety of the general public,” the minister affirmed.

The government still needs the public to participate in monitoring the implementation of regulations on international travelers, who will enter Indonesia.

Source: Antara News