Batam, Batamnews - The central government has officially canceled the policy of implementing level 3 restrictions on community activities (PPKM) completely during Christmas and New Year (Nataru) 2022.

Previously, the Batam Government (Pemko) forbade State Civil Apparatus (ASN) to take a leave and travel outside the city during Nataru. The ban is effective from December 15, 2021, to January 10, 2022.

Deputy Mayor of Batam, Amsakar Achmad emphasized that the ban on taking a leave and traveling outside the city during Nataru remained in effect, even though the PPKM level 3 rules throughout Indonesia were canceled.

"Still in effect, because of the tightening ahead of Nataru later to suppress the spread of Covid-19," said Amsakar, Wednesday (12/8/2021).

He said, currently the new variant of the Omicron type has started to become a new problem so that based on the Instruction of the Minister of Home Affairs number 62 of 2021, PPKM level 3 continues to apply.

Meanwhile, Inmendagri Number 65 of 2021, based on conditions in an area, therefore Batam is level 1. According to Amsakar, the two regulations are different things.

"We did include a ban on leave and a ban on going home to our ASN. We agree that all agencies apply the same thing," he said.