"Under these current circumstances, political debates on floods must be stopped and should be replaced with empathy, solidarity and mutual help," Djoko Suyanto said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto has urged the public to stop politicizing the issue of floods, which have affected a number of areas in the capital city on Thursday.

"Under these current circumstances, political debates on floods must be stopped and should be replaced with empathy, solidarity and mutual help," he said.

"That way the burden, however heavy, can be shouldered together," Djoko stated.

As a follow-up to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono`s instructions on flood handling measures, the chief security minister ordered the Indonesian Military chief, the National Police chief and the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) chief to deploy more disaster relief vehicles and inflated boats for the evacuation of flood victims, particularly of those stranded in the worst-hit areas.

"Commuters could also use these conveyances to reach certain destinations, from where they could continue their homeward journey using public transport vehicles," he continued.

"The operation of such vehicles reflects a new paradigm of security, which puts emphasis on human security," Djoko noted.

Due to incessant downpours in and around Jakarta since Wednesday evening, floodwaters submerged many areas of the city on Thursday, crippling the city`s transportation system.

Many people from suburban areas who work in downtown Jakarta could not enter the city, as many roads were flooded.

Commuter trains from the satellite cities of Bekasi, Depok and Tangerang had to stop halfway on their way to Jakarta, forcing hundreds of passengers, mostly civil servants and company employees, to either proceed using other means of transport or return home.

Floodwaters reached as high as 50 centimetres in the Tebet and Kota railway stations in Jakarta.

The toll roads leading to Jakarta from the three satellite cities were also inundated, causing heavy traffic jams.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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