Idul Fitri Leave to Start Earlier to Avoid Traffic

Cuti bersama (collective leave) for the Idul Fitri celebration is set two days earlier than originally planned, which has an impact on homeward travel plans and company planning.

KOMPAS/JUMARTO YULIANUS

Dozens of people register for free homecoming by ship at the Ministry of Transportation Office in Jakarta, Friday (24/3/2023). Free homecoming registration by ship is open from 23 March to 5 April 2023 with the Jakarta-Semarang shipping route.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The government decided to set Idul Fitri 1 Syawal 1444 Hijri collective leave for 19-25 April 2023. This timeframe is different from the cuti bersama set earlier in the previous three ministerial decrees, which took place from 21-26 April 2023. The change in cuti bersama is intended to prevent the accumulation of travelers expected to occur on 21 April 2023.

Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi conveyed President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo's decision at the President's Office after the Idul Fitri homeward travel preparation meeting chaired by the President, on Friday (24/3/2023).

As of today, the price is still under control.

"Right now, the [collective] leave is in accordance with the Joint Decree of the Three Ministers from 21 to 26 [April]. [The thing is], I, together with the National Police chief, proposed the holiday be moved forward by two days, so starting on 19 [April 2023] it will already be off, 20 will be off, but on 26 [April] [workers] will be back to the office. So, we add one day off, and [the holiday] starts two days earlier," said Budi Karya.

In addition to preparing for the Lebaran homeward travel, the meeting also tabled for discussion the availability of staple foods for Idul Fitri. "Almost 90 percent of the Idul Fitri preparations were on track, yes. Hopefully, there aren't any problems, so the availability of food is sufficient. As of today, the price is still under control," said Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan.

Strong desire for homeward travel

Budi Karya explained the Idul Fitri cuti bersama had been made earlier because traditionally the desire to go home was very strong, resulting in a large volume of vehicles. If the homeward trips were concentrated on 21 April 2023, it is estimated there would be an extraordinary buildup of vehicles on the homeward trip route. With the collective leave being earlier, the peak of homeward travel is expected to be split between the evenings of 18 April, 19, 20 and 21 April.

"One thing we urge, especially with regard to the private sector, is to provide THR [mandatory holiday allowance] earlier so that on 18 [April] it is certain they have received THR and can do the [homeward] trip starting 18 [April] evening,” said Budi Karya.

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Decisions on collective leave are generally stipulated via decisions of three ministers, namely the religion, the manpower and the administrative and bureaucratic reform ministers. This time, the proposal for collective leave approved by President Jokowi will again be outlined as a joint decision of the three relevant ministers.

At the meeting related to the homeward trip preparations, the Transportation Ministry also reported the number of residents who will be going home for this year's Idul Fitri is an estimated 123 million people, an increase compared to last year's 85 million people. "[Specifically] for Greater Jakarta [Jabodetabek], the [increase] is from 14 million to 18 million [people]. This means that there has been an increase of 47 percent nationally and 27 percent for Jabodetabek," said Budi Karya.

FAKHRI FADLURROHMAN

Dozens of people wait for registration in front of the DKI Jakarta Transportation Agency building, Gambir, Central Jakarta, Friday (24/3/2023). The Provincial Government of DKI Jakarta has temporarily closed registration for the 2023 free Lebaran homecoming program because the quota has been fulfilled. The government provides 482 buses with a total target of 19,280 passengers.

Regarding the proposed cuti bersama, Anton Supit, chairman of the employment sector of the Indonesian Employers' Association (Apindo), said this would affect the company's production activities. Normatively, the company prepared THR for its employees. However, this depends on the situation of the company, especially on whether the company has financial problems or not. It is considered this can make it more difficult for the company's finances.

Anton revealed each company had arranged a production plan in advance by adhering to government holiday regulations. If it is changed and made earlier, the company must rearrange production activities.

"It shouldn't be like this suddenly; the government can anticipate from the start. It's been submitted for three weeks, so the company has to readjust it again. There are two reduced working days. How quickly the company can adjust I don't know. Please understand the production difficulties. Changing the date like this requires adjustments,” said Anton.

Staple food

Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan said, during a meeting related to the homeward travel preparations, President Jokowi also ordered State Logistics Agency (Bulog) to absorb unhulled rice or rice from farmers as much as possible.

Head of the National Food Agency, Arief Prasetyo Adi, said there were several commodities still awaiting the arrival of their supplies from imports. "Such as the buffalo meat, right, it’s still [coming]. Until Idul Fitri, [imported] goods will still be arriving," he said.

Arief said, during this harvest period, his focus had been on domestic absorption. He is optimistic in facing Lebaran. He said Bulog's absorption position was around 220,000 tonnes. With the addition of 60,000 tonnes from the Association of Indonesian Rice Mills and Rice Entrepreneurs (Perpadi), Bulog's total stock amounts to nearly 300,000 tonnes.

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In line with this, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto emphasized food stocks ahead of Idul Fitri were relatively safe. He admitted the stocks of some food ingredients were affected by the arrival of imports, such as beef and soybeans. In this regard, efforts to procure supplies have been expedited so food prices remain under control. He revealed the price level would be affected by stock conditions. "That's why the stock is maintained," he said.

Separately, the director of road transport at the Directorate General of Land Transportation of the Transportation Ministry, Suharto, said the results of a 2023 survey by the Transportation Ministry's Transport Policy Agency showed the potential for national movement during Idul Fitri 2023 was 45.8 percent of the total population or as many as 123.8 million people.

Movement potential from Greater Jakarta is still the highest, amounting to 18.3 million travelers. Around 2.3 million or 12.5 percent will go home by motorcycle. In fact, the use of motorbikes is very vulnerable to traffic accident fatalities. Therefore, the Transportation Ministry is organizing a free homeward travel program for prospective travelers who will use motorbikes. This free homeward travel is facilitated by land, train and ship modes of transportation. (Z02)

This article was translated by Kurnia Siswo.