Jakarta (ANTARA) - Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) Puan Maharani has confirmed that most parliamentary business will be conducted from home in view of a sudden surge in COVID-19 infections among legislators.

The spike in cases has led to the enforcement of activity restrictions at the Parliament Complex.

"The enforcement of the work-from-home system (for parliamentary businesses) will start today," Maharani announced in a written statement received in Jakarta on Thursday.

The House speaker said that the decision was made at the latest meeting between the parliamentary leadership and the parliament's deliberative body.

A more flexible work system will be offered to legislators and participants and offline meetings at the Parliament Complex will be restricted to 50 percent of the maximum room capacity, she added.

"Meetings of DPR RI commissions or parliamentary agencies and their working partners will be attended by a maximum of 30 percent of the participants and will proceed only until 4.30 p.m. local time, per the office hour during the activities restrictions at the Parliament Complex," Maharani informed.

The duration of offline meetings at the Parliament Complex will be restricted to two hours, she added.

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"From the government, only the minister and their companion, and from the DPR RI, only the commission leader and group leaders will be allowed to attend offline meetings," she said while clarifying that other officials would attend the meetings online.

All participants at offline meetings will be required to submit negative COVID-19 certificates with samples attained through PCR or antigen testing, she said.

Adjustments to the working restrictions at the Parliament Complex would be based on the COVID-19 situation, she added.

According to the DPR RI data, as of Wednesday (February 2, 2022), at least 9 legislators and 80 DPR RI staff have been diagnosed with COVID-19, Maharani informed.

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Translator: Fauzi, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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