President Follows Situation At RI's Consulate General In Jeddah

Jakarta, June 10 (Antara) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono continues to keep up with the latest situation at the Indonesian Consulate General office in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after a stampede. "The president certainly continues to keep up with the latest situation," presidential special staff for international relations Teuku Faizasyah said here on Monday. Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa has prepared the report concerning the incident but Teuku said he was uncertain if the president has received the report or not. According to him, the situation at the Indonesian Consulate General office in Jeddah was not conducive because thousands of migrant workers forced themselves to get legal documents for their stay in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, but it turned into a stampede that left one Indonesian dead. "We can understand that the situation was frantic that time because thousands of people forced themselves to get the service," he said. Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Ministry Michael Tene said here on Monday that the victim was trapped in a queue of thousands of Indonesians wanting to get legal documents. Michael explained the Indonesian Consulate office since May 13 until July 3 was offering service for Indonesians living in Saudi Arabia to register themselves and complete the required documents to stay in Saudi Arabia. The policy was made after Saudi Arabian government announced it would give the chance for illegal foreign workers to work in the country as long as they can complete the documents required to stay. "During the past weeks there were thousands of Indonesian workers who come to the consulate office to get the document. The process runs smoothly. We regret to see the chaotic situation happening last Sunday. Right now the consulate general has added more officers to fasten the process for those workers to get their documents," he said.