Jakarta sees quieter 'Takbiran'

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Jakarta saw fewer Takbiran festivities on the eve of Idul Fitri with the police out in full force on the capital's main streets throughout Thursday night.

Although many holiday revelers defied a police appeal not to cruise the capital's main streets in the back of flatbed trucks, unlike previous years, festivities were much quieter following a police crackdown on the sale and manufacture of firecrackers.

Instead of firecrackers, most people celebrating the holiday turned to paper trumpets to enliven festivities.

A total of 33 people, mostly victims of traffic accidents, were taken to the emergency room of Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM) from the eve of Idul Fitri until Sunday afternoon. Most were released after receiving treatment.

There were no reports of traffic accident fatalities.

Meanwhile, MetroTV reported that two people were killed when a fire broke out in a Gang Kelinci noodle outlet in the Grand Wijaya shopping complex in South Jakarta on Thursday.

The victims were reportedly employees of the restaurant.

"Accidents this year were dominated by traffic collisions, especially during Takbiran festivities along Jakarta's main streets," a surgeon on duty at RSCM, Ardiansyah, told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

"But there were no fatalities and the cases were considerably minor. It's a possibility that holiday revelers may have learned a lesson from previous experiences on how to minimize accidents."

Ardiansyah also noted that the absence of firecrackers this year had somehow reduced the number of the types of accidents.

"Last year there were a lot of severe injuries due to cases related to firecrackers, but that was not the case this year."