Suntana made the statement in response to questions from journalists about how the country's transportation services are contributing to ongoing efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19.
"We have experience; we learned from our experience managing COVID-19, and the public has developed (new) behavioral patterns," he said on the sidelines of the International Conference on Infrastructure (ICI) 2025 in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Before the pandemic, many Indonesians were relatively unaware of the importance of wearing masks when sick in public spaces, especially when using public transportation, he noted.
This is in contrast with countries like Singapore, where self-protection habits are common practice.
However, he highlighted that now, awareness in Indonesia has grown significantly, with many people voluntarily wearing masks when unwell or navigating crowded public places.
"Even if they have to go out, many people are now wearing masks. Just look around on the trains, many of our fellow citizens are wearing masks," he said.
Although he did not reveal any specific scenarios for tightening COVID-19-related travel restrictions at airports, Suntana expressed confidence that post-pandemic public awareness on maintaining health would be a primary line of defense against new transmission.
Earlier, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin reminded the public to remain alert against the transmission of COVID-19, even though the number of domestic cases is under control, with the national positivity rate below one percent.
"We're seeing a slight rise in cases across ASEAN countries, so we urge everyone in Indonesia to stay cautious. If you experience symptoms like coughing, get tested immediately," he advised at a press briefing in Bandung on Tuesday.
The health minister clarified that most current infections stem from virus sub-variants that are considered non-lethal.
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Translator: Muhammad Harianto, Kuntum Khaira Riswan
Editor: Primayanti
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