TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo or Jokowi stated that the preparations for this year's Eid homecoming are generally going well. However, he pointed out that the traffic in Merak Port needed more attention.

“Particularly related to those (Eid homecomers) using motorbikes in Ciwandan Port. I asked the Transportation Minister for an explanation, and there are already solutions,” he said after visiting Pasar Senen Station in Central Jakarta, on Monday, April 8.

He claimed that this year's mass exodus was going smoothly, like at Pasar Senen Station. “I observed that everything was neat, well organized. The train was good, no one was jostling to get on the train,” he said.

As previously reported, there were long queues of vehicles at the Merak Toll Gate towards Merak Port reaching one kilometer on D-4 Eid al-Fitr, or Saturday, April 5. Minister of Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy said that the queue at Ciwandan Port, which lasted up to five hours, was due to an unexpected surge in vehicle volume of up to 65 percent compared to last year’s homecoming period.

He also acknowledged that many travelers fainted due to the hot weather and long queues. “We’ll evaluate it for next year’s exodus,” he said after monitoring Ciwandan Port in Cilegon, Banten, on Sunday, April 7.

DANIEL A. FAJRI

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