The appearance of the Wali Band group, held in the western parking lot of the Jakarta Fair Ground, was greeted with cheers and applause by the would-be travelers most of whom were herb traders, hawkers and their families from Jakarta and its buffer towns.
Some of the travelers who were dominated by women and children also took part and sang songs with the artists on the stage.
Organized under the sponsorship of herbal company PT Sido Muncul, the event was also enlivened by Piyu of `Padi` band music group and Sofie Vavita, wife of Pongki Jikustik.
Five ministers also took part in bidding farewell to the departure of the 19,000 travelers, namely Chief People`s Welfare Minister Agung Laksono, Women Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Linda Amalia Sari Gumelar, Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi and Manpower Minister Muhaimin Iskandar.
Also present were Meutia Hatta (presidential adviser), Deputy Police Chief Com. Gen Nanan Soekarna, Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo and Director of PT Sido Muncul Irwan Hidayat.
Some 300 buses were provided by PT Jamu Sido Muncul, a major traditional herbal medicine (jamu) producer, to take mostly jamu vendors and their families, to Yogyakarta, Cirebon, Kuningan (West Java), Tegal, Banjarnegara, Solo, and Wonogiri (Central Java), free of charge.
Minister Linda Gumelar in her remarks urged PT Sido Muncul to provide health insurance and social security for jamu vendors and their families, in order to stimulate them to be more productive in marketing jamu.
She said the free "mudik" program could help protect women and children in general vulnerable amidst big crowds of home-bound travelers.
(Uu.A014/HAJM/S012)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
