As Eid Holiday Approaches, Coordinating Minister Hopes Migrants' Departure Times Are Spread Out

The government hopes that homebound migrants’ departure times can be spread out and not concentrated at a single time. According to officials, the leave and extended holidays before Eid could be a factor in how residents choose their departure dates for the journey home.

“We predict the peak migration will be on 18 March 2026, but we hope the migration flow spreads evenly across several days. This is because the time frame is quite long. From 13 March onwards is the weekend, followed by work-from-anywhere provisions for civil servants, combined with joint leave, followed by Nyepi, and then Eid,” said Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs (Menko PMK) Pratikno at Merak Port, Cilegon, Banten, on Friday (13 March 2026).

Eid is expected to fall on Friday, 20 March or Saturday, 21 March 2026. On 18 and 19 March, citizens will also observe the leave and holiday period for Nyepi.

Pratikno stated that satisfaction levels in last year’s Ketupat Operation were quite high. He hopes this year will deliver even better results than the previous year.

“Even so, we remain prepared for any unforeseen circumstances, such as weather contingencies and others. Therefore, we expect all parties to work synergistically, responsively, and provide friendly service,” he said.

He also requested that the public continue to follow news and updates regarding the migration. Migrants are advised to follow instructions from officials to remain safe and comfortable during their journey.

“And of course, we expect the public to always follow the latest news and instructions from officials. This is our collective effort to ensure that the migration and return migration run safely, comfortably, smoothly, and successfully,” he said.

Earlier, National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit mentioned that several innovations have been implemented to ease queuing at Merak Port, Banten. He stated that the measures are expected to facilitate the Eid migration for 1447 Hijri or Eid 2026.

“I can see there are several additional innovations that are also expected to ease the recurring issues related to queuing from year to year. There are additional buffer zones and new ports being added,” Sigit said at Merak Port.

There are three additional buffer zones in the area around Merak Port. Additionally, Krakatau Bandar Samudera Port is being used as an alternative if vehicles pile up on the Southern Ring Road (JLS) in Cilegon.

“We certainly hope this will be properly socialised,” he said.