Gerindra Legislator Presses Transport Minister on Lebaran Travel Readiness in Working Meeting
Member of House Commission V Novita Wijayanti delivered a series of observations on preparations for the 2026 Lebaran homecoming season, drawing particular attention to the need for road lighting across the land-transport sector in various regions.
She made her remarks during a working meeting between House Commission V and Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi at the Commission V meeting room in Senayan, Jakarta. In the forum, Novita stressed the importance of transport readiness ahead of the annual exodus, citing findings from working visits to areas still lacking adequate lighting.
"For the Directorate-General of Land Transport, the need for street lighting remains considerable. In Central Java there are still areas in darkness, in East Nusa Tenggara there are many as well, including in and around Palembang. Because our remit as members of the House is national, we receive aspirations from many regions," Novita said in a statement on Friday (20 February 2026).
In her own constituency, Novita also sought attention for cleanliness and the optimisation of Type A bus terminals, particularly in Cilacap and Banyumas, Central Java. She judged that the management of the Cilacap Type A Terminal was still sub-par, especially in terms of hygiene and facility utilisation.
Ahead of the Lebaran travel rush, Novita further underscored the importance of land-transport fleet readiness, especially buses. The Gerindra faction legislator expressed her hope that the free homecoming programme would continue and that fleet numbers would not be reduced, given the high level of public demand.
"We ask that the bus fleet for the homecoming season not be cut. The public still expects the free homecoming programme to run this year," she said firmly.
On air transport, Novita asked the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation to evaluate airline schedules, citing public complaints about flight delays of two to five hours that must not recur, particularly during the homecoming period.
Novita also stressed that airfares must remain controlled and affordable for the public. She requested clarification on the operational status of Kualanamu Airport in North Sumatra and urged attention for Cilacap Airport, which has been inactive for several years. Although not used for scheduled services, the airport still needs to be monitored and its potential use considered, including the option of developing it as a flight school, she said.
In the maritime transport sector, Novita highlighted the importance of regular inspections of passenger vessels amid extreme weather conditions. The chairwoman of the national board of PIRA also reminded authorities to ensure that safety equipment matches passenger numbers in order to prevent fatalities.
"This concerns the safety of human life. There must not be another accident," she said.
At the same session, Novita conveyed aspirations from South Sumatra regarding the acceleration of the Tanjung Carat Port project, designated a National Strategic Project.
On rail transport, Novita praised the mode of transport for its continuing popularity with the public. However, she drew attention to persisting accidents at level crossings and railway gates.
She called for coordination between central and regional governments to improve safety. In addition, Novita asked that labour-intensive programmes within the Ministry of Transport be aligned with constituencies to support local activities and community empowerment.
"Regarding the labour-intensive programme, we ask that it be synchronised with our constituencies so that it can be maximised, because we need activities in our electoral districts," the Gerindra faction treasurer concluded.
She made her remarks during a working meeting between House Commission V and Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi at the Commission V meeting room in Senayan, Jakarta. In the forum, Novita stressed the importance of transport readiness ahead of the annual exodus, citing findings from working visits to areas still lacking adequate lighting.
"For the Directorate-General of Land Transport, the need for street lighting remains considerable. In Central Java there are still areas in darkness, in East Nusa Tenggara there are many as well, including in and around Palembang. Because our remit as members of the House is national, we receive aspirations from many regions," Novita said in a statement on Friday (20 February 2026).
In her own constituency, Novita also sought attention for cleanliness and the optimisation of Type A bus terminals, particularly in Cilacap and Banyumas, Central Java. She judged that the management of the Cilacap Type A Terminal was still sub-par, especially in terms of hygiene and facility utilisation.
Ahead of the Lebaran travel rush, Novita further underscored the importance of land-transport fleet readiness, especially buses. The Gerindra faction legislator expressed her hope that the free homecoming programme would continue and that fleet numbers would not be reduced, given the high level of public demand.
"We ask that the bus fleet for the homecoming season not be cut. The public still expects the free homecoming programme to run this year," she said firmly.
On air transport, Novita asked the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation to evaluate airline schedules, citing public complaints about flight delays of two to five hours that must not recur, particularly during the homecoming period.
Novita also stressed that airfares must remain controlled and affordable for the public. She requested clarification on the operational status of Kualanamu Airport in North Sumatra and urged attention for Cilacap Airport, which has been inactive for several years. Although not used for scheduled services, the airport still needs to be monitored and its potential use considered, including the option of developing it as a flight school, she said.
In the maritime transport sector, Novita highlighted the importance of regular inspections of passenger vessels amid extreme weather conditions. The chairwoman of the national board of PIRA also reminded authorities to ensure that safety equipment matches passenger numbers in order to prevent fatalities.
"This concerns the safety of human life. There must not be another accident," she said.
At the same session, Novita conveyed aspirations from South Sumatra regarding the acceleration of the Tanjung Carat Port project, designated a National Strategic Project.
On rail transport, Novita praised the mode of transport for its continuing popularity with the public. However, she drew attention to persisting accidents at level crossings and railway gates.
She called for coordination between central and regional governments to improve safety. In addition, Novita asked that labour-intensive programmes within the Ministry of Transport be aligned with constituencies to support local activities and community empowerment.
"Regarding the labour-intensive programme, we ask that it be synchronised with our constituencies so that it can be maximised, because we need activities in our electoral districts," the Gerindra faction treasurer concluded.