Support Government Program, 30 Journalists For Free Homecoming By Tourism Train

Photo: Doc. FWBUMN

JAKARTA - The government this year is again holding a Free Homecoming program. This effort is carried out as a step in reducing congestion on the highway and minimizing the number of accidents.

Based on a survey conducted by the RI Ministry of Transportation Research and Development, there is a potential for increased mobility compared to the 2021 Eid Mobility Prediction, people who will go home after the announcement of the vaccine as a condition of travel actually increased by 187.86 percent or reached 85.5 million people.

Especially for Jabodetabek residents who go home, namely 14.3 million people. It is predicted that most of the travelers use a personal land transportation mode of 40.2 million people, public land transportation 26.7 million people, and 8.2 million people use rail transportation.

The Ministry of SOEs together with the state-owned company Plat Merah, became one of the pioneers of the free homecoming program. Meanwhile, the Free Homecoming program entitled 'Safe Homecoming Healthy Homecoming with SOEs 2022', provides a quota of more than 65 thousand.

In order to support this, the BUMN Journalists Forum (FWBUMN), which is also a partner of the Ministry of SOEs, also holds a free homecoming program. However, this free homecoming program is devoted to journalists.

"This free homecoming program is directed by the Minister of SOEs to facilitate fellow journalists to go home comfortably," said the Special Staff of the Minister of SOEs, Arya Sinulingga, Thursday, April 20.

Meanwhile, FWBUMN Chairman Ricky Anwardi said the Free Homecoming FWBUMN program was attended by 30 journalists from various national mass media.

The participants have met the requirements for free homecoming, including sending ID cards, press cards, and proof of booster vaccines. As is known, proof of the booster vaccine is currently still a mandatory requirement in using rail transportation modes.

The train departed from Gambir Station at 06.15 WIB and will arrive at the end of Surabaya at 18.55 WIB. Regarding the purpose of the free homecoming chosen by each participant, it is very varied, ranging from Cirebon, Purwokerto, Yogyakarta, Solo, Madiun, Jombang, to Surabaya.

Interestingly, this free homecoming for journalists uses a Priority-type Tourism Train. With this type, participants can enjoy train facilities ranging from multimedia services to mini bars.

"We are holding this activity only to facilitate media friends who want to go home, but we still haven't had time to find tickets," said Ricky.

The implementation of this Free Homecoming FWBUMN is also supported by several SOEs including PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero), Bank BNI, PLN, MIND ID, Pertamina, Semen Indonesia Group, Jamkrindo, InJourney, Pupuk Indonesia, Bio Farma, Bank Syariah Indonesia, and Krakatau International Port.