Susilo checks travellers' safety
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.