The police found six people attempting to head home from Jakarta, destined for Central Java, hiding in an interprovincial bus, including in the toilet. They were trying to avoid inspections at the checkpoints set up to prevent homecoming or mudik.
Traffic Director at Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Regional Police, Kombes Pol Sambodo Purnomo Yogo said that the incident occurred at the Kedung Waringin security post in Bekasi Regency. “The passengers were from Klaten, Jepara, Rembang, Ungaran, and Sragen,” Sambodo confirmed.
Sambodo explained that, initially, the interprovincial bus driver was heading to Semarang, Central Java and claimed that he didn’t bring passengers. However, after an inspection, police found five passengers hiding inside the bus. Most of them were lying down on their seats and had turned off the cabin lights. One passenger was found hiding in the bus toilet.
The police asked the bus to turn around and return to Jakarta. President Joko Widodo has banned people from returning home during Ramadhan to prevent further COVID-19 transmission since midnight on 24th April. The decision was made by Jokowi during a closed meeting at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta via a video conference on 21st April.
From data provided by the Ministry of Transportation, as many as 24 percent of people have decided to stay home. Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Regional Police prohibits private vehicles, whether motorbikes or cars, and public transportation from entering the Jabodetabek area. Police are conducting vehicle inspections and at 18 integrated security posts and checkpoints.
According to data, as of 29th April – the fourth day of Operation Ketupat Jaya 2020 – as many as 4,948 vehicles were forced to turn back to their departure points. The majority of vehicles ordered to turn around have been private cars, buses, and minivans, showing that mainly private vehicles are trying to violating the ban.
Source: Kompas
Image: MSN