Indonesia Bans Aidilfitri Exodus

Research shows about a quarter of respondents wanted to return to their hometowns.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 22 – Indonesia has decided to bar the Aidilfitri “mudik” or exodus as the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan approaches.

“Based on field research and a survey conducted by the Transportation Ministry, we found that 68 percent of people had decided to not participate in the annual exodus, while 24 percent still insisted on leaving and 7 percent had already left,” said Indonesian president Joko Widodo (Jokowi), according to The Jakarta Post.

“It means we still have a very big percentage [of people who will participate in the mudik]. So, I want to announce that we will ban the mudik altogether.”

The government will proceed to prepare necessary measures to enforce the ban.

Previously, the government reportedly merely advised Indonesians not to go back during Ramadan, and issued regulations prohibiting civil servants, military personnel and police officers from returning to their hometowns.

The total ban comes as Indonesia struggles to contain Covid-19 cases, now totalling at 7,135, with a death toll of 616 as at 2.30am today.

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