Days off planned for Jakarta, Bogor during APEC summit<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): In gearing up for the APEC Economic Leaders'
\nMeeting (AELM) on Nov. 15, the government is considering
\ndeclaring a holiday in Jakarta and also in Bogor, the summit
\nvenue, Minister\/State Secretary Moerdiono said yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"We are considering the possibility of giving Jakarta days off
\non Nov.14 and 15 and Bogor on Nov.15,\" he told reporters.<\/p>\n
Moerdiono said that on Nov. 13, most of the 17 economic
\nleaders who make up the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation)
\nforum will arrive in Jakarta through the Halim Perdanakusuma
\nairport. Only three of them will land at the Soekarno-Hatta
\nInternational Airport.<\/p>\n
Seven heads of state are scheduled to hold talks with
\nPresident Soeharto on Nov. 14 at Merdeka Palace in Central
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
In accordance with the protocol procedures, the roads that the
\nleaders will pass through on their way to the palace will be
\nclosed temporarily.<\/p>\n
\"As you can imagine, with seven heads of state holding talks
\nwith the President on the same day at the palace, the event will
\nbe very hard on traffic,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The heads of state and the other leaders, who are to be
\naccommodated in different hotels, will also attend a welcoming
\nbanquet at the Hilton Hotel on Nov. 14.<\/p>\n
The main thoroughfares to be closed include Merdeka Timur and
\nSemanggi clover leaf and the toll road heading to Bogor.<\/p>\n
Moerdiono did not go into details on the planned holidays but
\nit is believed that workers, particularly civil servants and
\nschoolchildren, will be given two days off.<\/p>\n
\"If this decision is made, it will be for the comfort of the
\npeople,\" he said. \"People can't do very much when the roads are
\nclosed during state visits.\"<\/p>\n
Second<\/p>\n
Traffic congestion in Jakarta, a city of about 9 million
\npeople, is considered second only to Bangkok.<\/p>\n
APEC groups the six member countries of the Association of the
\nSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN)--Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei
\nDarussalam, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand-- with
\nAustralia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Mexico,
\nNew Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, and the United States.
\nChile will become the 18th member at the summit.<\/p>\n
Moerdiono also asked the Jakarta and Bogor administration
\nofficials to refrain from making decisions which have nothing to
\ndo with the staging of the meeting.<\/p>\n
\"For instance, they should not use the APEC meeting as a
\nreason to expel street vendors from main roads,\" he said.<\/p>\n
While acknowledging that the government was concerned about
\nthe recent shooting at the White House by a former American
\nmilitary man, Moerdiono dismissed the suggestion that the
\nincident would prompt the committee to take extra safety and
\nsecurity precautions and measures for the APEC meeting.<\/p>\n
\"We are using normal security procedures,\" he said. (swe)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/days-off-planned-for-jakarta-bogor-during-apec-summit-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }