Jakarta, March 21 -- Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi has advised Indonesian citizens to refrain from embarking on long-distance homecoming trips on motorbikes, as he believes that these private vehicles offer a lower level of safety.

Speaking in a press conference at his office in Jakarta on Friday, Purwagandhi stated that the government deems it necessary to echo this safety appeal, as the number of people traveling on motorbikes is projected to rise during this year's Eid al-Fitr homecoming season.

"It is true that we are paying close attention to those returning to their hometowns using motorcycles. We would like to ask you not to opt for motorbikes, though we recognize our lack of authority to ban such a practice," he told ...