Polemic of Mudik in Indonesia: How People Deal with Government Regulation Related to Covid-19

Agra Liz Tantri,Sukarjo Waluyo

doi:10.1051/e3sconf/202131704004

Abstract

Indonesia has a variety of cultures and traditions that develop in society; one of them is mudik, or the tradition of returning to hometown after a month of fasting during Ramadan to celebrate Eid al-Fitr. This tradition is an example of Indonesia's religious, cultural system related to the migration movement from one area to another. For many people, especially Muslims, mudik (homecoming) is considered an important event. However, since Covid-19 has been occurring globally, the government decided to ban this traditional annual activity, and it causes pros and cons to society. This research is intended to analyze society’s responses toward government regulation about the prohibition of mudik (homecoming) in 2021 due to Covid-19. Researchers used a quantitative descriptive method, namely utilizing data obtained through an online simple random sampling survey conducted on several Muslims and supported by literature studies. The result shows 64% of the respondents decided to follow the government regulation by not returning home this year. Based on the result, the existence of this (Addendum) Circular Letter of the Covid-19 Handling Task Force No.13, 2021 became a preventive way to restrain society from returning home for Eid al-Fitr this year.

Highlights

As of March 11th 2020, the World Health Organization officially declared the coronavirus or Covid-19 as a pandemic due to its rapid spread and expansion worldwide [1]
There is a possibility for an increase in cases of Covid-19 in Indonesia since managing a big country with a large population is more complicated
This study aims to know the responses of Muslim migrants in Indonesia about the regulation and how they deal with this issue

Summary

Introduction

As of March 11th 2020, the World Health Organization officially declared the coronavirus or Covid-19 as a pandemic due to its rapid spread and expansion worldwide [1]. People who have been infected with this virus mostly have severe acute respiratory symptoms, start having a fever, cough, headache, and may lose their sense of taste and sense of smell This pandemic has attacked many countries and caused many people to die around the world, including Indonesia. The pandemic of Covid-19 gets more complex for Indonesia because this country has high rates of migration, and people who migrate are spread all over the area in Indonesia This situation could expand the spread of the Covid-19 since rapid and massive mobility is a possible factor for the spread of infectious diseases. The tradition of returning to the hometown happens because of the simultaneous movement from one area to another, which becomes uncontrollable mobility in one period This special tradition during Ramadan is usually carried out by migrants, especially Muslims in Indonesia, known as mudik (homecoming). The government (the national Covid-19 task force) has decided to ban 2021 Eid alFitr mudik (homecoming), one of Indonesia's largest annual movements, to suppress the Covid-19 virus transmission

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