JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia will ban the mass exodus tradition, locally known as ‘mudik,’ at the end of the Muslim fasting month in May in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus in the Southeast Asian country, President Joko Widodo said on Tuesday.
“I have taken the decision that we will ban mudik,” Widodo told a cabinet meeting. “That is why the relevant preparation needs to be done.”
Widodo cited a transport ministry survey that said 24% of Indonesians were insisting on joining the exodus after Ramadan in the world’s biggest Muslim-majority country.
(Reporting by Maikel Jefriando; Writing by Stanley Widianto; Editing by Ed Davies)
