PDIP Legislator Calls for Public Awareness Campaign Before Motorcycle Mudik Ban

Jakarta, VIVA – The discourse surrounding a proposed ban on motorcycle use for the annual Lebaran mudik homecoming has drawn mixed reactions.

The proposal emerged during a working meeting between House Commission V and Transport Minister Dudy Purwagandhi on Thursday, 19 February. At the session, Commission V Deputy Chairman Syaiful Huda suggested the government consider restricting interprovincial mudik travel by motorcycle.

Syaiful Huda’s reasoning was straightforward: motorcycles are deemed responsible for the highest number of accidents during the Lebaran mudik and return traffic flows.

“It should be noted, Minister, that nearly 50 per cent of accidents during Lebaran transport operations are caused by motorcycle users. I urge you to study whether it would be feasible this year to prohibit motorcycle use for mudik, particularly for interprovincial journeys,” Syaiful Huda said during the Commission V working meeting.

Although the proposal was put forward by the Commission V Deputy Chairman from the PKB faction, not all Commission V members are in agreement. One such dissenter is PDI Perjuangan (PDIP) faction member Sofwan Dedy Ardyanto.

According to Sofwan, mudik is not merely an occasion for reuniting with family but also a socio-cultural ritual that strengthens social cohesion within communities. He argued that motorcycles serve as a practical mode of transport supporting mudik activities.

“In my view, Lebaran mudik is a routine social ritual that has been a national tradition for decades. As a ritual, travellers will do whatever it takes to carry it out — including using motorcycles as their means of transport. For motorcycle mudik travellers, efficiency is the primary consideration,” he said on Saturday, 21 February.

While not disputing the high rate of motorcycle accidents during the mudik and return traffic periods, Sofwan urged that the proposed ban should not be implemented this year. The government, he said, must first conduct extensive public awareness campaigns.

“Regarding the view that encourages the government to study and consider implementing a ban on motorcycles for interprovincial mudik, I believe it is a good and ideal notion — but not one to be applied during this year’s Lebaran mudik period. We cannot introduce a policy without socialising it well in advance,” he said.