Soldiers, police enforce Indonesia's "new normal" coronavirus restrictions

Officers will be deployed on streets, malls and other strategic locations in the provinces of Jakarta, West Java, Gorontalo and West Sumatra, in a joint operation between the Indonesian military, police and local government.

The enforcement measures come days after people flocked to local markets in the capital and its surrounds, many unmasked, buying new clothes for Eid, the celebration at the end of the Islamic fasting month.

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Indonesia has come under fire from public health experts since March for its belated response to the infection, while in recent weeks a string of regulatory backflips around social curbs, work and travel has resulted in widespread confusion.

As local governments prepare to ease social restrictions in the coming week, the government also announced on Tuesday its new "United Against COVID" mobile app, which allows users to identify areas of high coronavirus risk.