Different Opinions With The Minister Of Transportation, Economists Call The Decreased Number Of Homecomers A Sign Of The Lesu Economy

Economist Bhima Yudistira (Between)

JAKARTA - Director of the Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) Bhima Yudhistira assessed that the decline in the number of travelers in Lebaran 2025 indicates that the economy is indeed sluggish.

Bhima's statement, in contrast to the Minister of Transportation, Dudy Purwagandhi, who assessed that the decline in the number of travelers in Lebaran 2025 was not a sign that economic conditions were weakening.

"The decline in homecoming is clear, yes, that economic indications are sluggish. Because other economic indicators do mention, for example, the number of layoffs (relationships) for two months, which is officially recorded at more than 18,000 people," he said when contacted by VOI, Jakarta, Sunday, April 13.

In addition, continued Bhima, retail sales also fell. Then, there was a significant decrease in taxes.

"That means that the economy is indeed weakening so people think about saving more, saving their THR for emergency needs after Eid," he explained.

According to Bhima, the phenomenon of Eid homecoming that had previously fallen was seen one month before Ramadan, where there were signs of a decrease in people's purchasing power.

Pada bulan Februari yang mengalami defiliasi. Yang deflasi ini bisa dicek di penurunan harga pada makanan minuman, itu anoma. Harus bulan Ramadan sudah ada mulai tanda-tanda kenaikan peningkatan konsumsi rumah tangga. Tapi ini ini artinya pemerintah harus mengakui dulu ya bahwa mudik turun ini ya karena masyarakat sudah menjelangan kantongnya, ucapnya.

Previously, the Minister of Transportation (Menhub) Dudy Purwagandhi denied that the 2025 Eid homecoming had dropped as a sign that the Indonesian economy was sluggish. Because, he said, travelers fell only 4.6 percent compared to last year.

"Because we saw a decrease of only 4.5 percent. I think it will be too early to jump conclusion (too early to conclude) that it is an indication of a weakening economy. I think the numbers are still single digits," he said in Halal Bihalal and 2025 Eid Transportation Evaluation in Cikini, Central Jakarta, Saturday, April 12.

Dudy also admitted that he could not conclude whether the decline occurred because people chose to celebrate Eid al-Fitr or Lebaran in Jakarta alone.

"We haven't seen if that's an indication or if people just want to make Eid in Jakarta. We still have a lot to explore again, so I said that too early to conclude that the decline was due to economic problems," he explained.

Based on data from the Ministry of Transportation, the total national movement of the community reached 358,211,415 people in the Lebaran 2025 period which took place from March 21 to April 11.

Meanwhile, continued Dudy, the number of travelers reached 154,623,632 people in Lebaran 2025. That way, he said, the decline was only 4.69 percent compared to last year's 162.2 million people.