Transportation of logistics, drugs, officers, fire engines, ambulances, and hearses are excluded from the banJakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Transportation Ministry's spokeswoman Adita Irawati confirmed that the temporary ban on using public transportation, private vehicles, and motorbikes for Idul Fitri homebound travel (mudik) will come into effect, Friday, Apr 24, at 00:00 WIB.
"Transportation of logistics, drugs, officers, fire engines, ambulances, and hearses are excluded from the ban," Irawati noted at a virtual press conference here on Thursday.
The ban was stipulated in Minister of Transportation's Regulation on Transportation Control during the Idul Fitri 1441 H Mudik. The regulation was issued to follow up on a decision made during a limited cabinet meeting chaired by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on Tuesday (Apr 21).
The regulation bans the use of public vehicles, private vehicles, and motorbikes for entering and departing from regions enacting the Large Scale Social Distancing (PSBB) measures and regions demarcated as COVID-19 red zones, such as Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi.
The ban applies until May 31, 2020, for land transportation; June 15, 2020, for railway transportation; June 8, 2020, for sea transportation; and June 1, 2020, for air transportation.
"This ban can be extended depending on the situation of the COVID-19 outbreak," she remarked.
The ministry has called on the public to abide by the existing regulations that prohibit the use of public vehicles, private vehicles, and motorbikes for mudik.
Irawati noted that the Ministry of Transportation has and will coordinate with all relevant parties, such as the National Police, local governments, airport authorities, port authorities, and railroad operators, in connection with the effective implementation of the regulation.
"Starting tonight, all elements will go down to enforce this regulation," he stated.
As of April 23, Indonesia had recorded 7,775 confirmed COVID-19 cases, whereas death toll from the virus had touched 647, while 960 patients received discharge from hospital after their recovery.
During the post-Ramadhan holiday period, most Indonesian Muslims follow the tradition of returning to their hometowns to celebrate the Idul Fitri Islamic festivity with their families there. Consequently, there is an exodus of travelers, especially from cities to villages, during the holiday season. The annual homebound traveling tradition is locally called mudik. Related news: KAI cancels to-and-fro Jakarta, Bandung train trips over mudik ban
Related news: Online survey shows 12 percent respondents keen to embark on 'mudik'
Translator: Dewanto S, Fardah
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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