JAKARTA -- As many as 58 students from the Riau Islands Province who are on the island of Java taking advantage of the Free Homecoming with BUMN 2023 program facilitated by PT Timah Tbk can return to their hometowns to celebrate Eid Al-Fitr.
Through an activity entitled Homecoming Expected, Homecoming Together with BUMN 2023 which was initiated by BUMN Minister Erick Thohir, PT Timah Tbk facilitated students in operational areas to be able to go home.
PT Timah Tbk cooperates with the Riau Archipelago Student Families, Karimun Regency, Yogyakarta to help students who want to go home with BUMN 2023.
Currently, students studying in Yogyakarta, Bandung, Jakarta, and Semarang are already at Tanjung Priok to cross to Tanjung Balai Karimun.
Chairman of the Riau Archipelago Student Association, Karimun Regency, Yogyakarta, Anuggrah Arbeno Deyan, said students from Yogyakarta had left by bus from Yogyakarta on Sunday (9/4/2023).
He said students who took part in the Free Homecoming with BUMN 2023 were not only from Karimun Regency, but also from Anambas, Natuna, Batam, and other Regencies.
"Students from Yogyakarta are currently at Tanjung Priok and will join friends from Jakarta, Bandung for tonight we will start crossing to Tanjung Balai Karimun using KM Kelud tonight," said Anugggrah, Monday (10/4/2023).
He said that the Free Mudik program which they carried out with PT Timah Tbk had indeed become an annual routine agenda. Every year there is quite a lot of enthusiasm to take part in this program.
According to him, previously many students did not go home due to limited funds, but with this free homecoming program they can gather with their families during Eid.
"We are very happy with this free homecoming, it can ease the family's economic burden. Previously there were some friends who could not go home due to lack of economy, so the free homecoming could help them meet their families during Eid," he said.
According to him, to be able to return to their hometowns at least requires a lot of money, air transportation can reach Rp. 2 million and if you use sea transportation it can be Rp. 1 million more.
"The requirements for taking part in the free homecoming are also not difficult. Apart from being assisted by transportation, we are also facilitated with sahur and iftar from PT Timah Tbk. This is very helpful because everything has been prepared," he said. (*)
