YOGYAKARTA – Minister of Youth and Sport, Roy Suryo, along with Governor of Yogyakarta Special Region, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, and Rector of UGM, Prof. Dr. Pratikno, M.Soc., Sc., launched cycling movement in the Pagelaran Kraton Yogyakarta, Saturday (16/2), marked with the signing of a stone tablet of commitment to realise the ‘Jogja Biking Republic’.
The minister reinstated that the biking movement has increased the spirit of bike community. The movement is expected to become the momentum to encourage collaboration between bike communities in the city. The movement supports what has been initiated by UGM to make the campus as bike environment and the sego segawe movement (bike to school and work) in Yogyakarta.
“I think this is pretty good, moreover that UGM has opened bike route and provided bike parking lot. This is interpreted as a movement to love the environment, campus and sport,” Roy Suryo told the press.
Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X expected that the biking movement would raise people’s awareness to care for healthy living and support the effort to minimise pollution.
Meanwhile, the Rector of UGM appreciated the support from the Minister and the Governor to sign the joint commitment to make Yogyakarta as Biking Republic come true. In his opinion, the movement can inspire other regions to do the same. “It is healthy and supports efforts for environment-friendly movement,” he said.
The biking event was joined by bike communities in Yogyakarta, starting from Faculty of Social and Political Science UGM to Kraton Yogyakarta. Even the Rector and the Minister were biking to the Kraton Yogyakarta.
It is known that Yogyakarta in the past was a biking city. Efforts to raise biking awareness have been made, including community establishment and infrastructure support. Healthy living has become way of life for some people in Yogyakarta amidst the worsening traffic from year to year.