THOUSANDS JOIN FREE 'MUDIK' TRAVEL PROGRAMS

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 25 (ANTARA) - While the tickets of various modes of transpiration are now difficult to obtain for 'mudik' (home-bound trips), tens of thousands of Idul Fitri travelers have opted to join free mudik programs offered by a number of companies.          Free mudik programs are among others offered by  PT Jamu Sido Muncul, a major traditional herbal medicine (jamu) producer and cellular phone operator PT Telkomsel, as well as by a political party, National Mandate Party (PAN).          On Thursday, at least 19,000 Idul Fitri travelers who joined PT Sido Muncul's free mudik's program were seen off by five ministers at the western parking lot of the Jakarta Fair Ground.          Before they departed the travelers were entertained with music performance. The 'Wali' band music group appeared with its popular single songs on the stage during a function to see off 19,000 Idul Fitri travelers in a free 'mudik' (going home) program here on Thursday.          The appearance of the Wali Band group was greeted with cheers and applause by the would-be travelers most of whom were herb traders, hawkers and their families from Jakarta and its buffer towns.          Some of the travelers who were dominated by women and children also took part and sang songs with the artists on the stage.          Organized under the sponsorship of herbal company PT Sido Muncul, the event was also enlivened by Piyu of 'Padi' band music group and Sofie Vavita, wife of Pongki Jikustik.          Five ministers  took part in bidding farewell to the departure of the 19,000 travelers, namely Chief Peoploe's Welfare Minister Agung Laksono, Women Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Linda Amalia Sari Gumelar, Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi and Manpower Minister Muhaimin Iskandar.          Also present were Meutia Hatta (presidential adviser), Deputy Police Chief Com. Gen Nanan Soekarna, Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo and Director of PT Sido Muncul Irwan Hidayat.          Some 300 buses were provided by PT Jamu Sido Muncul, a major traditional herbal medicine (jamu) producer, to take mostly jamu vendors and their families, to Yogyakarta, Cirebon, Kuningan (West Java), Tegal, Banjarnegara, Solo, and Wonogiri (Central Java), free of charge.          The government appreciated private companies which organized free "mudik" and hoped more companies would follow the step next year.  "Hopefully, in the future more companies will organize free 'mudik'," Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono said.          Minister Linda Gumelar meanwhile in her remarks urged PT Sido Muncul to provide health insurance and social security for jamu vendors and their families, in order to stimulate them to be more productive in marketing jamu.  Free "mudik" program could help protect women and children in general vulnerable amidst big crowds of home-bound travelers.          The same program was also offered by  cellular phone operator PT Telkomsel which on Thursday also dispatched at least 1,000 Idul Fitri travelers for free using the train mode of transportation.          The 1,000 Idul Fitri travelers went home towns  through PT Telkomsel's Mudik  for free program or 'Mudik TelkomselSiaga Gratis.'     "TelkomSiaga Mudik For Free program is a form of appreciation of Telkomsel for its customers and a synergy with state-owned railway company PT Kreta Api Indonesia (KAI)," Telkomsel's Vice President for Jakarta and West Java Venusiana Papasi said after bidding farewell to the travelers at Gambir Railway station here on Thursday.          Vanusiana said the travelers were transported by 136 coaches OF the executive Agro Anggrek, Bima and Sembrani trains, with the farthest destination of Surabaya in East Java.          The trains will pass on two main lanes, namely the northern lane (Agro Anggrek and Sembrani) passing by Pekalongan, Semarang and Surabya (final distination), and the southern lane (Agro Anggrek and Bima) passing by Cirebon, Purwokerto, Yogyakarta, Solo, Madiun, Kertosono, Jombang and Surabaya (final destination).          She said that Telkomsel in its 'Mudik TelkomselSiaga for free' for 2011 dispatched 5,000 Idul Fitri customer travelers who were transported by five modes of transportation, namely trains, ships, buses, cars and airplanes.          Through the sea, Telkomsel sent 2,000 travelers with the routes of Makassar-Tanjung Perak of Surabaya (Laboar ship, 600 travelers), Belawan-Batam (Kelud ship, 700 passengers, Ambon - Bau Bau South Sulawesi (Dobonsolo ship, 350) and Sampit - Palangkaraya - Tanjung Emas - Semarang (Lawit ship, 350).          "Telkomsel is the only cellular operator which serves travelers with a telecommunication facility on 15 ships of the state-owned shipping lines PT Pelni," Venusiana said.          Apart from that Telkomsel also facilitated the departure of 100 travelers using cars in cooperation with a Toyota, Daihatsu and Nissan sole agent (ATPM).          The number of Telkom's mudik for free proram's participants using buses reached 1,000 customers while those departing in airplanes consisted of 600 Idul Fitri revelers with the routes of Jakarta-Padang, Jakarta-Surabaya and Jakarta ? Makassar.          Apart from companies, a political party also had a free mudik program, namely PAN.      General Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Hatta Rajasa bode farewell on Tuesday to 5,000 Idul Fitri travelers who left for Java and Sumatra.          "On the birthday of PAN today, we want to share our happiness with the people, particularly the needy ones so that they will be able to observe the 1432 Indul Fitri festivities with their relatives in their home towns," the PAN chairman, who is also chief economic minister, said after bidding a farewell to them here on Tuesday.           The 5,000 travelers were grouped in the "Going Home Towns for Free with PAN" program which was organized in connection with the observance of the 13th birthday of PAN on August 23, 2011. They were seen off  at the East Parking Lot of Senayan Sports Complex.           He said that most of the participants in the PAN's "Mudik Gratis Bareng PAN" (going home for free with PAN) program were daily laborers, workers in the informal sector as well as workers or employees at small businesses. They are the generators of the national economy, he said.***1*** (T.A014/A/HAJM/15:58/A/O001) 25-08-2011 15:54: