Yesterday, the president had decided to ban mudik. According to the president, the transportation sector should play an active role in the efforts to contain COVID-19 transmission. Hence, the Transportation Ministry will soon issue a ministerial reguJakarta (ANTARA) - The Transportation Ministry has come up with a ministerial regulation to serve as a legal basis for the implementation of a ban on the annual exodus (mudik) to celebrate Eid al-Fitr.
"Yesterday, the president had decided to ban mudik. According to the president, the transportation sector should play an active role in the efforts to contain COVID-19 transmission. Hence, the Transportation Ministry will soon issue a ministerial regulation in connection with the ban on mudik, including sanctions for violation of the rule," Adita Irawati, the Transportation Ministry’s spokesperson, noted here on Wednesday.
The ministry will involve the Toll Road Regulatory Agency (BPJT) and the police to formulate the regulation.
Irawati remarked that those using means of public transportation and private vehicles will be subject to the regulation on transportation during the imposition of the ban.
"The ban will be effective from April 24 gradually, and the sanction will be imposed from May 7. The ban on mudik will be imposed until 2nd of Syawal 1441 H (the second day of Eid al-Fitr) and can be adjusted in line with developments in the COVID-19 situation," she explained.
Irawati elaborated that the authority will only restrict access to and from certain areas instead of blocking the roads, as transportation of goods and logistics are excluded from the ban.
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The ban will be applicable in Greater Jakarta as well as other regions that already imposed the Large-Scale Social Restriction (PSBB) and the coronavirus red zones.
In accordance with the prohibition on mudik, the authority will ban the movement of passengers, especially from the Greater Jakarta areas.
However, the flow of logistics is still allowed. The movement of passengers within Greater Jakarta is also still permitted.
Means of mass transportation, including the commuterline rail service, will continue to operate to facilitate people, such as medical workers, who still have to venture out for work. The KRL (commuterline service) will not be closed to facilitate cleaning service, hospital workers, and others since several of them use the Bogor-Jakarta commuterline.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has officially barred all citizens from traveling to their hometowns during the Eid al-Fitr celebrations to thwart the transmission of COVID-19.
The decision was taken on the basis of the evaluation conducted by the Transportation Ministry.
"Based on the Transportation Ministry's survey, 68 percent of the people will not observe the mudik tradition, 24 percent insist on mudik, and seven percent have already returned to their hometowns. It means, 24 percent are still left," the president stated.
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