All tourist destinations and entertainment venues in Karawang Regency, West Java, were shut down for 14 days starting from May 17, 2021.
The closure was the regional government’s attempt to prevent the transmission of new Covid-19 variants.
“The policy is issued in an effort to curb the spread of a new coronavirus variant in Karawang,” said the Regional Tourism and Culture Agency head Yudi Yudiawan on Tuesday, May 18.
The Health Ministry previously announced that Indonesia discovered cases of new Covid-19 variants, namely B117, B1617, and B1531. Five B117 cases were reported from imported cases or brought by migrant workers from Saudi Arabia and some of them were detected in Karawang.
The temporary closure was also based on the Karawang Regent’s Circular Letter No. 556/2779-Disparbud dated May 17, 2021. It was noted that tourist sites and entertainment spots must be closed on May 17-31. The circular also stipulated the ban on Car Free Day in the region.
Yudi further asserted that tourist site management violating the policy might be subject to severe sanctions.
A spokesperson for the Karawang Covid-19 Handling Task Force, Fitra Hergyana, added that the sanctions might be up to the revocation of business permits.
