Public welcomes Moerdiono's APEC meet holiday idea<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): After watching the rehearsal of the convoy of
\nAsia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) delegates yesterday, a
\nminister, police officers and the public expressed the view that
\nNov. 14 and 15 should be declared holidays in Jakarta and Bogor.<\/p>\n
\"I'm coming to the conclusion that Jakarta and Bogor should be
\ngiven days off,\" Minister\/State Secretary Moerdiono, who is also
\nhead of the National Committee for APEC, told reporters after
\nwatching the rehearsal from a Puma helicopter, of the convoy of
\ndelegates who will attend the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting
\n(AELM) in Bogor on Nov. 15.<\/p>\n
Moerdiono said last Monday the government was considering the
\npossibility of giving Jakarta days off on Nov. 14 and 15 and
\nBogor on Nov. 15.<\/p>\n
\"If this decision is made, it will be for the comfort of the
\npeople, not for the AELM alone,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Moerdiono's idea received tremendous support from many
\nparties, including city traffic police officers, commuters,
\nemployers, civil servants and students.<\/p>\n
\"It will be much easier for us to control and organize
\ntraffic flow if the idea can be realized,\" commented head of
\nOperational Affairs of the City Traffic Police Directorate Lt.
\nCol. Herman S. Suradiredja.<\/p>\n
Herman, who is directly involved in the task of transporting
\nthe delegates, said the convoy of delegates on Nov. 15 might face
\nminor problem heading to Bogor from their hotels in the morning,
\nas was learned during yesterday's rehearsal, due to the three-in-
\none system applied on the streets used by the delegates.<\/p>\n
\"But the convoy could be caught in serious traffic jams on
\ntheir way back to their hotels because of peak hour traffic,\" he
\nsaid. \"So, the proposed holidays could be very helpful.\"<\/p>\n
Comments<\/p>\n
A driver of the Cimone (Tangerang)-Blok M state-owned express
\ncity bus service said the proposed holidays would also help
\neverybody, including he and his commuters, avoid being trapped in
\ntraffic jams during those days.<\/p>\n
\"I read this in the paper and totally agree with the
\nminister's idea because by applying a change of the route, it
\nwould only create heavy traffic jams and waste our time, which
\nmeans we'd get no money to pay the rental fee to our company,\"
\ndriver Karman said.<\/p>\n
Lawyer Yanti Abdurrachman commented: \"It's not only that we'd
\nhave an extended weekend but it would be hard for our clients to
\nreach our office or for us to attend meetings outside.\"<\/p>\n
Imelda, a high school student, said that her teachers have yet
\nto give any comment on the proposed holidays but she and her
\nmates welcome the idea.<\/p>\n
\"We could use the days off to study at home,\" she said.<\/p>\n
According to the temporary schedule, certain streets in
\nJakarta and Bogor and the Semanggi-Bogor toll road will be closed
\nto public vehicles between 7:45 and 9 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. and 5
\np.m. on Nov. 15.<\/p>\n
The day before the AELM, the delegates will attend a gala
\ndinner at the Jakarta Convention Center hosted by President
\nSoeharto. The delegates, who will be staying at star-rated hotels
\nin the city, will be transported to the Convention Center from
\n5:45 p:m until 7 p.m., through blockaded streets, starting from
\nJl. Lapangan Banteng, Jl. Pejambon, Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur, Jl.
\nMedan Merdeka Utara, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, Jl. M.H. Thamrin,
\nJl. Sudirman and JL. Gatot Subroto.<\/p>\n
During the first two arrival days on Nov. 11 and 12, main
\nstreets heading from the Soekarno-Hatta international airport and
\nHalim Perdanakusumah airport to the delegates' hotels in the city
\nwill be temporarily closed to let them arrive at their hotels on
\nschedule.<\/p>\n
Rehearsal<\/p>\n
During the general rehearsal of the convoy of delegates to and
\nfrom the Bogor Palace, no significant traffic problems were
\nencountered.<\/p>\n
\"Basically, everything was on schedule,\" Moerdiono said.<\/p>\n
Light traffic jams were seen on Jl. Gatot Subroto in the Slipi
\narea during the morning hours.<\/p>\n
City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Mochammad Hindarto attributed this
\nto the cooperation of motorists.<\/p>\n
\"We learned that many of them had left for their offices
\nearlier than usual,\" said Hindarto, who accompanied Moerdiono
\nduring the inspection.<\/p>\n
APEC groups the six member countries of the Association of the
\nSoutheast Asian Nations: Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam,
\nthe Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, with Australia, Canada,
\nChina, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua
\nNew Guinea, Taiwan, and the United States. Chile will become the
\n18th member at the summit. (bsr\/mas\/22)<\/p>\n
Trash -- Page 3<\/p>\n
Golden future -- Page 4<\/p>\n
Free trade -- Page 8<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/public-welcomes-moerdionos-apec-meet-holiday-idea-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }