'I go to pay homage to my parents'

The city administration estimates 2.5 million Jakarta residents will travel to their hometowns to celebrate Idul Fitri with relatives. The Jakarta Post asked two residents their plans for this year.

Didiek Sugianto, 30, works for an international oil service company. He lives with his wife and two children in Bumi Serpong Damai housing complex in Tangerang:

Idul Fitri is the best time for the whole family to get together. Most of my family lives in Jakarta, while my parents and grandparents live in Malang, East Java, so during the Idul Fitri holiday the family usually takes time off to return to our hometown and get together at our grandparents' or our parents' house.

As long as our parents are alive, it's my duty to at least spare some time each year to pay them homage.

This year is special because I have a new baby. My mother only got to see him when he was born and she came to stay until he was three months old. She misses him very much.

Iwan Noviarsyah, 32, is a software engineer and works on Jl. Gatot Subroto, South Jakarta. He lives in Pondok Kopi, East Jakarta:

I'm not going to join the mudik (annual exodus to hometowns for the Idul Fitri celebration) to Padang, West Sumatra, this year. I haven't been for the last four years.

With the high cost of living due to the increase in fuel prices it would be better for people not join the mudik either.

Besides, mudik has just become another tradition, the essence of which is to meet old acquaintances. If that's the case, surely it can be done at any other time of the year and not during this major holiday.

The way I see it, my generation is less attach to their place of origin. My parents both come from Padang, but I was born and raised here in Jakarta. So if my parents don't return to their hometown, should I? I don't have any emotional attachment to Padang.

-- The Jakarta Post