Labour Ministry Dispatches Free Mudik Bus Fleet to Central and East Java
Jakarta - The Ministry of Labour (Kemnaker) held a ceremonial dispatch of participants in the free mudik (homecoming) programme using a fleet of buses, with destinations in Central Java (Jateng) and East Java (Jatim).
Working alongside strategic partners, Kemnaker will dispatch a total of 38 buses carrying more than 1,000 homecoming participants, with 11 buses departing on Tuesday morning, 17 March.
“We appreciate the cooperation from our partners who have worked with the Ministry of Labour in facilitating the mudik programme. We hope this cooperation will continue. We want to dispatch as many people as possible through this free mudik programme,” said Labour Minister Yassierli during the ceremonial dispatch at the Kemnaker office in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Yassierli expressed hopes that the free mudik bus programme this year would run safely and comfortably, as in previous years.
“We want the journey home to be safe, comfortable and secure for workers and labourers,” Yassierli said.
The free mudik programme is facilitated by the Directorate General of Industrial Relations and Labour Social Security (PHI and Jamsos) at Kemnaker, in collaboration with strategic labour partners.
“In total, we are dispatching 38 buses and more than 1,000 homecoming passengers,” said Indah Anggoro Putri, Director General of the Directorate General of Industrial Relations and Labour Social Security at Kemnaker.
Indah expressed deep appreciation for the support provided by partners to the free mudik programme over the past four years.
“We offer our sincere thanks to industry partners who have supported and regularly supported the programme over the past four years,” Indah said.
Indah identified the strategic partners, including PT Bank Negara Indonesia Tbk (BNI), PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia Tbk (BRI), PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), and PT Freeport.
Other partners include PT HM Sampoerna Tbk (HMSP), Aqua-Danone, PT Taspen (Persero), PT Tirta Investama, PetroChina, BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, and other partners.
She explained that there was a difference in this year’s free mudik programme compared to previous years, namely the inclusion of online motorcycle taxi drivers (ojol) as mudik participants.
However, she apologised that they were unable to provide large mudik quotas for online drivers due to fleet limitations.
“Three buses will depart for online transportation drivers from Gojek, Grab, Maksim, and InDriver, with a total of 150 online drivers heading to Central Java, the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY), and East Java,” Indah said.
Additionally, two buses with a capacity of 100 mudik participants were allocated for workers from the All-Indonesia Association of Workers’ Unions (ASPIRASI).
“Members consist of workers at companies around Jabodetabek, with their mudik destinations being Central Java and East Java,” Indah said.
The Ministry also provided two buses with a capacity of 100 mudik participants for workers from the All-Indonesia Tobacco Food and Beverage Workers’ Federation (FSP RTMM-SPSI) who would travel home to Central Java and East Java.
“Good news as well, Minister, this year we increased the number of buses for contract workers—what used to be called honouraries, now called contract workers at Kemnaker and nearby ministry offices (on Jl. Gatot Subroto)—last year we had two buses, this year we have four buses, with 208 contract professionals,” Indah said.