Puan: All Preparations For Going Home Must Be Prepared By The Government As Best And As Early As Possible

DPR Speaker Puan Maharani (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Chairperson of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, reminded the Government to facilitate people who want to go home well, especially in anticipation of the potential for severe traffic jams during the 2022 Eid homecoming.

"All preparations and anticipatory steps must be prepared by the government as well and as early as possible, so that people can go home safely and calmly. Prepare for the worst scenario in case of severe traffic jams beyond predictions," said Puan in her statement in Jakarta, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, April 19.

He said ministries and agencies involved in handling Eid homecoming must prepare adequate infrastructure and facilities for travelers.

Puan understands the enthusiasm of the residents because due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been two years that people have not been allowed to go home during Eid 2022. "This high enthusiasm for going home must be addressed with careful preparation from the authorities," he said.

He reminded the importance of every community need to be prepared during the homecoming trip and security at every crowded point is also important.

According to him, don't let the lack of preparation cause traffic jams to occur again for up to 20 hours on the toll road and claim fatalities like in 2016.

Puan also asked the security forces to cooperate with health workers at the homecoming posts, including at train stations, ports, airports, bus terminals, and on land routes.

"This step will make it easier for the community if they need first aid when going home. Supervision of operational restrictions on goods transportation during Lebaran homecoming on designated toll and non-toll roads must also be strict so that travelers feel more secure and comfortable," he said.

Puan appealed to the public to prepare for departure by considering the best time, regarding the prediction that the peak of the homecoming flow is predicted to occur on April 28-30 2022.

He appreciated the government's policy of allowing children under 18 to go home without an antigen or PCR test as long as they had undergone two COVID-19 vaccinations.

Puan also advised parents to continue to supervise their children to continue to be disciplined in implementing health protocols.

"We are also optimistic that with the community's high level of antibodies, the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia will improve so that people can be calmer when visiting their families back home," he said.

In addition, Puan assesses that the Lebaran homecoming tradition will be a stimulus that will further encourage economic recovery and will increase regional tourism.

According to him, Lebaran homecoming will also encourage local MSMEs when travelers shop for souvenirs, but the high mobility of the community must be accompanied by strict health protocols.