CNA’s Nivell Rayda and Wisnu Agung Prasetyo rode a motorcycle on a 230km journey from Jakarta to Cirebon in West Java in a bid to experience the annual mudik exodus.
CIREBON, Indonesia: It was like my body was screaming for our motorcycle to stop. My buttock was in pain, my legs felt numb and I was struggling to stay awake despite the cool refreshing wind in my face.
The government estimated that this year, 123 million Indonesians will perform mudik, the first Ramadan exodus since the authorities lifted virtually all restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 on Dec 31. Lacking the stability, comfort and safety of a four-wheeler, motorcycles are a dangerous form of travel. In 2022, motorcycles contributed more than 65 per cent of the 94,000 accidents recorded across Indonesia, according to data from the Indonesian Traffic Police Corps.
Wisnu once spent more than 20 hours on the road riding his motorcycle from Jakarta to his hometown Ngawi located 600km away in East Java province. Some had backpacks slung over their shoulders. Others strapped duffle bags, even suitcases onto the seats of their motorcycles. There are also those who carried cardboard boxes, placed at the base of their scooters and sandwiched between their legs.
An accident involving two motorcycles skidding off a slippery, potholed road near the Cikarang industrial area, West Java, Indonesia. We soon hit the road again, this time with a reminder that being on the road can be unpredictable and dangerous.As we entered our fourth hour on the road, fatigue began to set in and I struggled to stay awake.
It is a stark contrast to the comfort and convenience enjoyed by those on four wheels. Had we chosen to drive a car, we could have easily parked at the many rest stops dotting the toll roads, reclined our seats and turned on the air-conditioner. Djoko Setijowarno, a transportation expert from Soegijapranata Catholic University said riding a motorcycle can be far cheaper than other forms of transportation.
Although aware that some of these motorcyclists are breaking the law, traffic police chief Santyabudi said the 92,000 police officers deployed across the country to safeguard mudik will focus more on providing warnings to violators instead of taking legal action. A woman walks with a child at Kampung Rambutan bus terminal, as Indonesian Muslims travel home to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, known locally as 'Mudik', in Jakarta, Indonesia on Apr 29, 2022.
“Public transportation in smaller cities and towns is not as good as Jakarta, which is why some people bring their motorcycles with them if they want to get around in their hometowns,” he said.“That is why my wife and kids are travelling by bus and I travel by motorcycle,” the 34-year-old told CNA on his way to Batang, Central Java, located some 370km from Jakarta.
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