“Mudik needs to be prohibited, as warnings will surely be ineffective. If mudik is allowed to happen, it means that we are going to put thousands or tens of thousands of people’s lives in villages throughout Indonesia at risk,” said PSI spokesperson Nanang Priyo Utomo, in a written statement, in Jakarta, on Friday, April 3, 2020.

According to Nanang, the policy of allowing Eid homecoming while stipulating that homecomers must undergo self isolation for 14 days and get given the status of people under monitoring (ODP) is unrealistic. "They want to stay in touch and meet their family. So how can you expect them to undergo self isolation," he said.

Nanang reviewed that although an early wave of homecoming had occurred, a legal exodus prohibition is not too late, as most of the early wave had consisted of informal workers. Meanwhile, most of the formal workers still yet to go mudik due to working schedules.

In addition, PSI has expressed their approval of President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo’s proposal to postpone the exodus on national holidays after Eid al-Fitr. "Pak Jokowi's proposal is far more realistic and rational. People can still go home, just delayed a few months until the outbreak is resolved," he added.

ANTARA | DIO SUHENDA (Intern Translator)