'Jamu' vendors to get free trips home<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Over 13,000 herbal medicine hawkers across the capital will
\nbenefit from a free mudik (return home) to their villages as part
\nof a philanthropic tradition by a local herbal medicine company
\nwho this year will hire 220 buses for the purpose.<\/p>\n
\"Initially, this was a kind of incentive for herbal medicine
\nhawkers to sell more of our products. But, later, we adopted this
\nas part of our corporate social responsibility program,\" Irwan
\nHidayat, the president director of herbal medicine company Sido
\nMuncul, said at City Hall.<\/p>\n
He said that the program would also help alleviate the burden
\non the government in providing public transportation vehicles for
\nholiday makers joining the exodus for Idul Fitri celebrations.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta alone, there are over 2.1 million residents who
\nevery year celebrate the festivities in their home towns and
\nvillages. The flow of holiday makers usually peaks in the four
\ndays before Idul Fitri.<\/p>\n
This year, Idul Fitri falls on Nov. 3 and Nov. 4.<\/p>\n
Irwan said his company had records on all herbal medicine
\nhawkers in the city and this list would determine those who would
\nreceive free tickets.<\/p>\n
\"Although this program does not cover all herbal medicine
\nhawkers in the city, numbering about 16,000 people, we hope most
\nhawkers can benefit from this program,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"We will cooperate again with bus operator Hiba to provide the
\nbuses. Hiba has been helping us for the last 16 years to
\ntransport hawkers to their home towns,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The free mudik program will be centered at the Jakarta
\nFairground in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta. The program will staged
\nin two rounds scheduled for Oct. 28 and Oct. 29,\" he added.<\/p>\n
He said that the Minister of Transportation Hatta Radjasa and
\nGovernor Sutiyoso were scheduled to attend and officiate at the
\nsend-off.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jamu-vendors-to-get-free-trips-home-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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