Indonesian government will finally ban the tradition of mudik, or returning to one’s hometown for Hari Raya, in order to curb the spread of COVID-19, President Joko Widodo said today (21 April).
“I would like to announce that mudik will be banned,” he continued. “That is why I would like to ask [the administration] to prepare the necessary measures [to enforce the ban].”
Previously, the Indonesian government announced that it will continue to allow mudik to prevent the country’s economic growth from stopping altogether.
The government’s sudden decision to ban mudik today, however, was based on findings from a survey by the Transport Ministry, which revealed that around 24 per cent of Indonesians will likely participate in mudik.
“It means we still have a very big percentage [of people who will participate in the mudik],” he said.
Around 20 million people participate in the yearly exodus in the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, where they travel from Greater Jakarta — the epicentre of the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia — to their respective hometowns for Hari Raya.
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