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‘Mudik’ tradition gets attention of World Bank economist
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Idul Futri travelers with their vehicles queue up to enter a ferry at the Merak seaport in Banten. (Antara/Sigid Kurniawan)
M
udik, or the Idul Fitri exodus, -- an Indonesian tradition during Muslim festivities – has received attention from expatriates living in the country, including leading World Bank economist for Indonesia Ndiame Diop.
"I come from a Muslim country also but the mudik is not like in Jakarta [where] everybody goes [to their hometowns],” said Diop in Jakarta recently.
Diop, from Senegal, has spent Idul Fitri three times in Jakarta.
Many economists praise the mudik tradition as an effective form of annual wealth distribution from urban areas to remote areas.
This year, the government estimates that about 19 million people have taken part in the annual exodus.
This year, Diop paid a visit to Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati's open house in Jakarta on the first day of Idul Fitri on Sunday along with World Bank country director for Indonesia Rodrigo A. Chaves and around 200 other guests. (bbn)
