Susilo checks travellers' safety
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visited a major bus terminal and railway station in the capital on Sunday to make sure transportation providers were ready for the annual exodus ahead of the Idul Fitri holiday.
In a 30-minute visit to Kampung Rambutan bus terminal in East Jakarta and another half an hour at Gambir railway station in Central Jakarta, the President spent his time talking to with people going home for the holiday.
"The President is very concerned about the safety of travellers, and whether people were able to obtain tickets to go to their hometowns," Minister of Transportation Hatta Radjasa told Antara during the visit.
Susilo also asked some intercity bus drivers to think of passengers' safety above all else.
Aside from Hatta, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani, Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi and First Lady Kristiani Herawati accompanied the President during the visit.
At least 10 million people will travel to their respective hometowns across the country to celebrate Idul Fitri, which will fall on Nov. 15.
The exodus began over the weekend, with people seen crowding bus terminals, railway stations, airports and seaports.
One week after the holiday, the holidayers will again hit the road on their way back to their places of residence.
The exodus has always resulted in an increasing number of road accidents, with police data showing that during the holiday season last year, 122 accidents took place in 12 days in West and Central Java, resulting in the deaths of 105 people and injuring 188 others.
The accident rate triples during Idul Fitri.
"We have prepared an adequate number of vehicles, but so far there has not been a significant increase in the number of passengers as the number will peak three days before the celebration," Hatta said.
As a security measure during the holiday season, the police have been ordered to be on high alert since Sunday, especially along busy routes including the Java north coast. Thousands of police sharp shooters are among those sent to the routes.
"The police will be on high alert across the country from Sunday night until a week after the celebration," Da'i said during the visit.
However, Susilo might not see the real face of Kampung Rambutan bus terminal as the usually congested terminal looked neat and clean and during the visit of the President.
The terminal officials had been working hard since the morning to ensure that the President would not hear any complaints from passengers.
Even with such well-organized preparations, Susilo met a woman who complained about security, She said a pickpocket had run away with her money sometime before Susilo arrived.
Most complaints in the past were about bus operators, who let drivers and conductors increase fares above a tolerable limit.