Government Urged to Ban Motorcycle Exodus Travel with Children

Jakarta (ANTARA) — The Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI) has partnered with the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) to urge the government to prohibit citizens from undertaking mudik (homecoming) journeys by motorcycle whilst carrying children during the 2026 Lebaran holiday, citing safety concerns.

“MTI, together with KPAI, is calling for a ban on motorcycle mudik travel with children during the 2026 Lebaran holiday. This should be a matter of government attention,” stated MTI General Chairman Haris Muhammadun in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Referencing 2024 data, Haris noted that 76.64 per cent of accidents involved motorcycles. To reduce accident rates during this year’s Lebaran, the government has been asked to expand free mudik programmes and complimentary motorcycle transport services.

The phenomenon of mudik by motorcycle, according to Haris, is driven by several factors, including lower costs, ease of mobility whilst in one’s hometown, and prestige, as travelling by motorcycle is often perceived as a sign of success in the capital city.

Other contributing factors, he continued, include inadequate public transportation services in rural areas and small towns. Therefore, both regional and central government authorities are urged to allocate budget for adequate public transportation facilities.

“We encourage the government to begin gradually rehabilitating rural transportation and services in districts and small towns, making mobility easier for people in their hometowns, thereby encouraging them not to use motorcycles,” Haris stated.

He also outlined several recommendations for sanctions against motorcyclists travelling with children during mudik, including travel time restrictions.

“Tactical command posts (poskotis) could be deployed; currently they only serve a monitoring function, but they could also be used to regulate specific times at which motorcycle mudik travellers would be permitted to depart. The sanction would be a delay in their departure,” Haris explained.