The ban on mudik (holiday exodus) will be effective from Friday, April 24.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan stated that the ban on the annual Eid al-Fitr holiday exodus will be enacted since April 24.

"The ban on mudik (holiday exodus) will be effective from Friday, April 24. There will be sanctions, but the imposition of the sanction that we have already prepared will only be effective from May 7," Pandjaitan, concurrently the acting transportation minister, stated here on Tuesday.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has officially barred all citizens from traveling to their hometowns during the Eid al-Fitr celebrations to thwart the transmission of COVID-19.

The decision was taken on the basis of an evaluation conducted by the Transportation Ministry.

"Considering the situation and condition, we have conducted three surveys, with the last one on April 13 and April 15. We found that some 20 percent of the people are insisting on mudik regardless of the government's calls to restrain from partaking in the holiday exodus," he noted.

The survey indicated that 24 percent of the people were planning trips irrespective of the virus outbreak, although 68 percent others would not have the annual tradition this year.

"Based on the survey, the government has decided to ban mudik during Ramadhan and Eid al-Fitr for citizens in Greater Jakarta as well as regions that have imposed the Large-Scale Social Restriction (PSBB) and red zones for the coronavirus outbreak. To this end, I think the local governments will make further arrangements," Pandjaitan elaborated.

In accordance with the prohibition on mudik, the authority will ban the movement of passengers, especially from the Greater Jakarta areas.

"However, the flow of logistics is still allowed. The movement of passengers within Greater Jakarta is also still permitted," he noted, adding that means of mass transportation, including the commuterline rail service, will continue to operate.

"To facilitate people, such as medical workers, who still have to venture out for work, the KRL (commuterline service) will not be closed to facilitate cleaning service, hospital workers, and others since several of them use the Bogor-Jakarta commuterline," he explained.

As of Monday (April 20), the Health Ministry had approved the enactment of large-scale social restriction (PSBB) for a 14-day period in two provinces and 16 districts and cities.

Jakarta was the first to implement the PSBB followed by its surrounding districts and cities: Bogor City, Bogor District, Bekasi City, Bekasi District, and Depok City on April 15.

West Sumatra Province will impose the PSBB on April 22.

South Tangerang City, Tangerang City, Tangerang District, Pekanbaru, Makassar, Tegal, Bandung City, Bandung District, West Bandung District, Sumedang District, and Cimahi City are the other regions to have received approval to implement the PSBB.
Related news: MPR urges government to issue regulation banning Eid al-Fitr exodus

Related news: President bans "mudik" for citizens to contain COVID-19 spread

EDITED BY INE

Translator: Desca LN, Sri Haryati
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2020