Ahead of Christmas, NY Celebration, Gov’t to Focus on Food, Transportation Services, Security Issues

Cabinet Secretary attends the limited Cabinet Meeting on the Preparation of Christmas and New Year Celebration, at the Merdeka Palace, Monday (18/12). (Photo by: Public Relations Division/Rahmat)

Ahead of this year’s Christmas and New Year celebrations, President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo calls on related government institutions to pay attention to the issues of food price stability and food availability, transportation services, and security.

Regarding the availability of food commodities and food price stability, President Jokowi told his Cabinet to anticipate the impacts of extreme weather and natural disasters in a number of regions to food availability and food price stability.

“We have to give a special attention to food availability and stability of food prices, as well as the smoothness of distribution of logistics such as food commodities fuel, as well as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG),” the President said in his remarks at a limited Cabinet Meeting on the Preparation of Christmas and New Year Celebration, at the Merdeka Palace, Monday (18/12).

President Jokowi also calls on his cabinet to pay attention to transportation services and reminds that this year’s year-end holiday is a long one; so it has to be ensured that the people can have easy access to safe and comfortable transportation services. Besides, the President added, this year’s year-end holiday coincides with school holiday season so the people’s needs for transportation services will increase.

“Do prioritize safety of the people when using public transport, be it land public transport, sea public transport, and air public transport,” the President said.

Last but not least, President Jokowi told personnel of the Indonesian National Police (Polri) and the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI), assisted by the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) to anticipate security disturbances.

“Do bring a sense of security among the people by increasing surveillance and security in public places, such as places of worship, airports, seaports, train stations, and bus stations,” the President said.

Furthermore, President Jokowi also wants the people to be involved in keeping order and security in their respective neighborhoods.

Also attending the meeting were Vice President Jusuf Kalla, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Darmin Nasution, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut B. Pandjaitan, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Presidential Chief of Staff Teten Masduki, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Ignasius Jonan, Minister of Health Nila F. Moeloek, Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman, Minister of Trade Enggartiasto Lukita, Minister of Transportation Budi K. Sumadi, Minister of Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, Minister of State-owned Enterprises Rini Soemarno, Minister of Home Affairs Tjahjo Kumolo, Commander of the TNI Air Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto, Chief of the Polri General Tito Karnavian, and BIN Head Budi Gunawan. (DNA/SM/RAH/ES) (EP/YM/Naster)