The police should ease congestion on roads and protect homes that have been vacated"Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has urged government officials to look into the public`s safety in light of the recent floods.
"The president has requested Jakarta`s governor to work closely with the military and the police. He is worried about the safety of the public," said Julian A Pasha, a spokesperson for the president, on Thursday.
The head of state had earlier instructed Indonesian Police Chief General Timur Pradopo and the Chief of the Indonesian Defence Forces (TNI), Admiral Agus Suhartono, to assist victims of floods.
"The police should ease congestion on roads and protect homes that have been vacated," he said.
On Thursday (in the afternoon), the president and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono visited victims of floods in Kalibata, Rawa Jati.
They were accompanied by General Timur Pradopo, the Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare, Agung Laksono, the Social Affairs Minister, Salim Segaf Al Jufri, and the Public Works Minister, Djoko Kirmanto.
On Thursday (in the morning), the president had to postpone his meeting with Argentina`s President, Cristina Elisabet Fernandez De Kirchner, because of floods which had submerged parts of Jakarta, including Sudirman, Thamrin and Medan Merdeka streets.
The president`s palace, the palace of the vice president, and the office of Jakarta`s governor had been flooded too.
Floods and traffic jams in the morning had paralyzed Jakarta because some roads were blocked, preventing people from travelling to offices and schools.
(G003/F001/KR-BSR/B003)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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