Comfortable journey?

Comfortable journey?

During the past week we have witnessed miserable scenes at bus terminals and railway stations, with thousands of people queuing for tickets to go home for the Idul Fitri holiday.

Women screaming for their lost belongings and ticket scalpers operating with impunity have become commonplace at bus terminals and railway stations.

The sad story continues when the people board the buses that will take them home. The bus crews charge them very unreasonable fares.

Our question is when such grief will end? The people should be able to make safe and comfortable journeys home during the holiday season. Unfortunately, the government has yet to offer a comprehensive formula to deal with the annual Idul Fitri exodus.

All the government can do is try and implement routine and poorly planned actions.

Meanwhile, private companies have achieved a breakthrough in helping their workers go home for the holidays, providing the workers and their families with a number of buses.

If private companies can do this for the people, why don't non-governmental organizations, mass organizations and political parties do the same? They have managed to deploy people from other towns in Java for demonstrations in Jakarta, so it is clear they are able to transport people from Jakarta to their hometowns.

-- Koran Tempo, Jakarta