175 Santri Palembang Battalion New Year's Eve At TMII Due To Immorable Tickets

Geranggang Santri Palembang (Ivan Two/VOI)

Coming with 3 groups of buses, 175 students from the Darussalam Islamic Boarding School Foundation located in Sumedangsari, East Buay Madang District, East Ogan Komering Ulu Regency, South Sumatra canceled celebrating New Year's Eve at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) after learning that the entrance ticket price was too expensive.

The entrance ticket for TMII, which usually costs IDR 25,000 per person, has doubled to IDR 50,000 per special person on December 21, 2022.

This is the reason the students canceled their entry into the TMII area. Burhanuddin, the leader of the group, stated that he had negotiated with him to bring a dispensation request letter, but the negotiations were still not reached.

"Suddenly today I came here confused, shocked me, basically it couldn't be reduced at all, there was no dispensation at all. Even though it was students, everything was still Rp50,000 because of the policy," said Burhanuddin when met at TMII on Saturday, December 31.

Burhanuddin and the students themselves just found out about the change in ticket prices when they came to TMII. "We just found out when we came here. For example, we knew this morning that the ticket price (price) went up, there was no dispensation, so we won't come here," he said.

The students themselves have been traveling for religious tourism studies since Monday, December 26 yesterday. After visiting several places and wanting to return to South Sumatra, they took the time to visit TMII.

"We (come to TMII) just want to educate the children to know that everything in Indonesia is in Taman Mini. But in the end, we turned us around," explained Burhanuddin.

The group leader said that he also had time to negotiate further, but also did not succeed. We are not pinning for the new year here too, because it's just the time. I've also spoken if we don't have to until the evening, just give us 2 hours and then we go home. But still can't," he said.

Tourism studies are often carried out by Darussalam Islamic Boarding School every end of the year, and TMII is often a destination. Burhanuddin deeply regrets that the students failed to visit TMII this year.

After about 30 minutes the bus group was at the entrance gate of TMII, they decided to go out and continue the journey. "Yes, we want to go home, what can we do because there is no more destination," he concluded.