President Orders Intensified Security During Idul Fitr Exodus

Jakarta, Aug 14 (ANTARA) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has instructed institutions to intensify services and security measures for home-bound travelers during the Idul Fitri exodus. "Although the Idul Fitri exodus occurs annually and we have experiences in securing and serving the Idul Fitri exodus, we must not consider it to be a routine activity," the head of state said in a cabinet meeting in his office here Monday. If the exodus is considered routine, the handling would tend to be casual, he warned. Yudhoyono further called for extra attention to be paid to travelers using motorbikes to ensure their safety. Also, during the meeting he asked concerned ministers to present reports on the preparations for the Idul Fitri exodus, particularly regarding the security, road infrastructure, fuel supplies and health services. Health Minister Nafsiah Mboi, in her earlier report, said her ministry has mobilized at least 65,000 paramedics and prepared 1,468 health posts. The ministry has also instructed community health posts, known as "Puskesmas" and located along the roads, to remain open 24 hours and has distributed 200 packages of medicines to local health posts. The ministry has also coordinated, among other things, around 1,296 health posts in provinces, districts, and cities, 578 field health posts, 718 community health posts, 172 KKP health posts, and 1,554 hospitals in Sumatra, Java, and Bali, to remain on standby during the exodus. Officials noted that in 2011, traffic accidents killed 779 people, a drop from 853 in 2010.