Again, Gov't Calls for People Not to Go `Mudik` on Motorcycle

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Associated to the risks of traffic accidents, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi reminded people to avoid motorcycles as a means to travel to hometowns in the upcoming traditional Ramadan mass-exodus “mudik.”

“Riding motorcycles to travel back to hometowns ideally should not be done considering its dangers,” said the minister at the Jakarta car-free day event on Sunday, April 28.

Anticipating the high amount of motorcycle users, the Transportation Ministry offered free transports on various public transportations from bus seats up to ferry ships. The ministry has also prepared free services enabling people to transport their motorcycles by train.

The government opened a registration period for this free service on its website mudikgratis.dephub.go.id. and based on Tempo’s observation, the bus quotas were already fully booked leaving only quotas on ferry ships available.

Read also: Ramadan Mudik: Transportation Minister Adheres to Jokowi's Order

The Transportation Minister also announced that the government has requested private companies to offer similar services in the form of a company social responsibility (CSR) program. All this is a massive attempt by stakeholders to suppress the number of travelers riding on motorcycles during mudik.

The Ministry’s research and development division predicts that people visiting their hometown in the Ramadan holidays will reach 18,290,358 people in five days prior to Eid al Fitr. They also predict there will be 986,776 people performing mudik on motorcycles.

The Indonesian National Police (Polri) data shows that the 2018 Ramadan holiday mudik saw 996 motorcycle accidents that killed 193 people. This statistic is lower compared to 2017 which saw 479 lives lost in motorcycle road accidents.

FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA