West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil has said that he hopes the government along with related stakeholders will decide on the PCR test price for air travelers without compromising on the quality and safety of the tests.

“It (the test) has to be as cheap as possible but also safety and trusted for the public,” Kamil said on Tuesday when asked for his opinion on President Joko Widodo’s request that the PCR test price be reduced to Rp300 thousand.

Earlier, President Widodo (also known as Jokowi) had requested that the price PCR test be lowered to Rp300 thousand given that it is now mandatory for air travel, a rule that has garnered a lot of criticism lately.

Governor Kamil said he completely supports the President’s request regarding the price reduction.

“If President Jokowi asks for the price reduction, of course, it will be good. But if possible, it can be cheaper again. And I hope the test result will not take a long time, especially for people who are about to travel,” he remarked.

Earlier, during a PPKM evaluation meeting, the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment and coordinator of community mobility restriction (PPKM) Java-Bali, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, had said that the President had inquired about the price reduction for PCR tests that are a requirement for flight passengers.

The President also asked that the validity period of the test be extended, he added.

“The President’s direction is hoping that the PCR price can be lowered to Rp300 thousand and is valid for 3 x 24 hours for plane trips,” he informed.

Explaining the rule requiring air passengers to submit negative PCR test results, he said the regulation aims to balance the relaxation of PPKM on community activities, especially in the tourism sector.

Source: Antara News