Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi (centre) speaking to youths who violated the Covid-19 health protocols in the East Java provincial capital in this file photo. - Kompas/Courtesy of Surabaya City Administration
JAKARTA: The Surabaya administration in East Java has implemented a nighttime curfew for children under 18 who are found roaming unsupervised in public, following a similar policy recently introduced in West Java.
Mayor Eri Cahyadi explained that starting Wednesday (July 2), authorities began full-scale sweeps targeting children who violate the
“I want to make it clear to Surabaya residents, if your children are out late for legitimate reasons, such as studying at a friend’s home or in an academy, that is acceptable,” Cahyadi said on Tuesday.
“However, if they are loitering in public spaces like parks, and bridges, we will intervene,” he added. The mayor said curfew patrol units would target children violating traffic rules, such as riding motorcycles without helmets or carrying more than two passengers, as well as unmarried teenage couples loitering in parks.
Officers will escort any unsupervised children back to their homes and take their pictures along with their parents.
Violators will also be required to undergo a seven-day guidance program at the Rumah Perubahan (House of Change) education center, which includes psychological support.
On June 20, Mayor Cahyadi issued a regulation enforcing a curfew for all minors between 10pm am. The measure aims to curb “negative behaviours” among youth, including “unsupervised socialising”, substance abuse and involvement in brawls.
He also emphasised that the curfew would help children get adequate rest, enabling them to concentrate better on their studies.
Cahyadi stressed that the curfew programme was intended not only to “correct” children’s behaviour but also to remind parents of their responsibility.
“Without parental involvement, government efforts are futile. We often see kids unsupervised in parks or on the streets at 10 or 11pm. That’s the issue we need to address,” he said.
Surabaya city councillor Yona Bagus Widyatmoko said the curfew enforcement must remain educational and humane, urging patrol officers to avoid any repressive or intimidating measures.
“The city council fully supports the administration’s efforts to maintain public order, but I want to stress that the enforcement must not involve harsh or threatening treatment of children,” Yona said.
Yona also urged officers in the field to remain courteous and avoid any actions that might embarrass or humiliate violators in public. “We’re dealing with children. These sweeps must be carried out in a humane and educational manner, not in a way that traumatises them,” he said.
“Curfew enforcement must be paired with educational outreach in schools. Children need to understand that this policy is meant to protect them, not to limit their freedom," Yona added.
The Surabaya curfew follows a similar measure introduced in West Java earlier in June.
The regulation, issued by Governor Dedi Mulyadi through a circular, prohibits students from being outside their homes between 9pm and 4am.
The West Java curfew regulation has since been met with mixed reactions from experts, though many parents in the province welcomed Dedi’s programme which he said aimed to create a safer social climate for local youth. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
