YOGYAKARTA - Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X has threatened to close the Malioboro area if visitors are found to violate coronavirus (COVID-19) health protocols.
“I hope visitors will demonstrate their awareness [regarding COVID-19 protocols] in Malioboro and wherever they are. If there are gatherings that do not abide to COVID-19 prevention protocols next week, I will disband them because the risk is too high,” the Sultan said after the Yogyakarta Regional House of Representatives’ Plenary Meeting on Monday (8/6) as quoted by Antara.
The Sultan added that last weekend he saw a large number of visitors in Malioboro who did not wear masks and failed to adhere to physical distancing. Thus, he has asked Yogyakarta Mayor Haryadi Suyudi to coordinate curbing of visitors who violate COVID-19 protocols.
According to the Sultan, violation of health protocols in tourist areas such as Malioboro can potentially create a new COVID-19 cluster, especially because many visitors come from outside Yogyakarta.
“If something occurs in Malioboro, the tracing will be very difficult, especially because many visitors come from outside Yogyakarta,” he concluded. (MS)