Bahlil's Story: Wanting to Return Home to Papua for Eid Festivities—It's Wonderful, Can Meet Childhood Friends

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Bahlil Lahadalia, Chairman of Golkar Party, expressed his desire to return to his hometown of Fakfak, Papua during Eid al-Fitr 2026.

“As a village person, Eid celebrations in Jakarta matter, but it is far more important if I return to my hometown, and God willing, I will also travel home,” said Bahlil whilst launching Golkar’s Free Homecoming Programme at Golkar Party Headquarters in West Jakarta on Tuesday (17 March 2026).

Bahlil stated that returning home is an enjoyable activity for him, as it allows him to meet with friends and family.

He continued, noting that returning to his hometown also serves as an opportunity for himself and Golkar cadres to reconnect with the people as the party’s constituents.

“We got here through struggle, and people want to return to their nature whilst evaluating the long process. Yes, we return to the people so we don’t lose ourselves. That’s how it is. From Golkar, after all, it’s ‘The People’s Voice is Golkar’s Voice’, ‘From the People For the People’,” Bahlil said.

According to him, homecoming travel causes money to circulate not only in major cities but also in villages.

“Money isn’t spent in provincial capitals or the national capital. It’s spent in district towns, county towns, village towns, which ultimately creates a multiplier effect,” Bahlil said.

He is confident that the Eid holiday will boost consumer spending among the public, which will positively impact the national economic growth rate.

“In the trend of national economic growth, there’s consumption, plus investment, plus exports-imports, and government spending. And in the history of national economic growth, consumption is always at the top, especially during holidays. So I am confident that our economic growth in the first quarter will be driven largely by the consumption sector,” Bahlil said.