City Submits Proposal for Amendment to Perda on COVID-19 Handling at DPRD Plenary Meeting

Jakarta Government submitted Regional Regulation Draft (Raperda) related Amendment to Regional Regulation (Perda) No. 2/2020 at Jakarta Council (DPRD) Plenary Meeting, Jakarta DPRD Building, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday (7/21).

Raperda on Amendment to Perda No. 2/2020 concerning COVID-19 Handling is intended to be legal basis for law enforcement against health protocol violations

Jakarta Vice Governor, Ahmad Riza Patria (Ariza) was present on behalf of Jakarta Governor, Anies Baswedan and read governor's speech regarding Raperda on Amendment to Regional Regulation No. 2/2020 concerning Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Handling.

He conveyed that Jakarta Government expects Jakarta DPRD as legislature may soon discuss, approve, and stipulate Raperda which referred to as Regional Regulation thus COVID-19 handling can run well and effectively.

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"Raperda on Amendment to Perda No. 2/2020 concerning COVID-19 Handling is intended to be legal basis for law enforcement against health protocol violations , which is assertive and collaborative in COVID-19 handling in Jakarta. This past week, number of COVID-19 transmission rate increased very rapidly. The peak was on July 15 where new cases reached 56,757 cases nationally," he said as quoted from Jakarta PPID Press Release.

Until July 20, 2021, he continued, death toll has reached 10,610 people. While in Jakarta, there are additional 6,213 active positive cases on the same day. He emphasized that these data cannot be understood as mere statistics. Many have lost their fathers, mothers, children, and relatives due to COVID-19. The impact of this pandemic should be seen from the side of humanity.

Sine two weeks ago, Jakarta Government has implemented Emergency PPK, which has no extended until July 25, 2021. This is done as an effort to suppress additional COVID-19 active cases. On the other hand, Jakarta Government distributes social assistance to residents affected by COVID-19. It is a form of Jakarta Government's responsibility as a part of the state in maintaining balance in handling COVID-19 while implementing Emergency PPKM.

"On November 2022, Jakarta Government and Jakarta DPRD issued Regional Regulation No. 2/2020 concerning COVID-19 Prevention as legal protection for Jakarta Government in carrying out its responsibility to provide health protection to the community from COVID-19 transmission, as well as in carrying out social protection and economic recovery due to COVID-19 pandemic. The main content of sanction in Regional Regulation No. 2/2020 is through administrative sanction and criminal sanction," he mentioned.

In its implementation, both administrative and criminal sanctions have not been effective in giving deterrent effect to people who violate COVID-19 health protocol. It was marked by an increase in data on COVID-19 confirmed cases and people who died from COVID-19. It becomes consideration for Jakarta Government to submit proposal for Amendment to Perda No. 2/2020.

Amendment to Perda No. 2/2020 is very necessary and urgent considering that COVID-19 pandemic has caused an emergency in public health, socio-economic, and public service aspects in Jakarta. Jakarta Government submitted proposal on Amendment to Perda No. 2/2020 regarding various things.

"First, enforcement of health protocol violations during COVID-19 pandemic emergency situation which requires cooperation with other law enforcement officials in taking action against health protocol violators. Police investigators are authorized to conduct investigations other than PPNS investigators (Civil Servant Investigators) if there is criminal act of violating health protocol," he said.

Authority of PPNS investigators in conducting investigation is regulated in rigid and detailed manner as regulated in rigid and detailed manner as regulated in Law (UU) No. 6/2018 on Health Quarantine, Permendagri No. 3/2019 on Civil Servant Investigators in Local Government Environment.

Second, administrative sanction can be carried out in stages and/or not in stages. In giving administrative sanction, regional apparatus can immediately impose the most severe sanction according to the accumulated errors and details will be regulated in SOP for each regional apparatus. Third, additional criminal provision is the most crucial material in the proposal.

Besides, if the proposed amendment to Perda No. 2/2020 is approved by Council to be Perda, Jakarta Government hopes enforcement against COVID-19 health protocol violation will not cause clash between community and law enforcer. Humanistic Perda enforcement should be prioritized thus no commotion that grabs public attention.

"Human rights perspective must be a priority for Perda law enforcement officers thus conflicts in the field can be avoided. Sensitive public feelings due to impact of COVID-19 pandemic that have penetrated their economic life must be maintained. I hope enforcement against COVID-19 protocol violation can be carried out with justice principles. Law enforcement is not sharply downwards, bluntly upwards. Once again, it is one of our joint efforts to handle COVID-19," he added.

For information, after reading Jakarta Governor's speech, material which proposed on Raperda related Amendment to Perda No. 2/2020 concerning COVID-19 Handling was symbolically handed over by Ariza to Jakarta DPRD Deputy Chairperson, M. Taufik. Then, in press statement, M. Taufik said that discussion on proposed Raperda would be continued on Thursday (7/29).