Prabowo-Gibran Government Finalizes Security Preparations Ahead of Christmas and New Year
By: Amalia Rosyita G. )*
The government of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has shown a serious commitment to ensuring security during the Christmas and New Year (Nataru) celebrations through various well-organized preparations at both the national and regional levels. Nataru is one of the most anticipated moments for the Indonesian people.
The Chief of Police, General of Police Drs. Listyo Sigit Prabowo also said that Operation Lilin 2024 will be the spearhead in securing Nataru. A total of 141,443 joint personnel from the Police, TNI, and related agencies will be deployed at 2,794 posts spread throughout Indonesia. This operation includes securing places of worship, tourist centers, as well as homecoming and return routes.
General Listyo emphasized that securing places of worship is a top priority, considering the importance of the Christmas moment for Christians. In addition, his party also highlighted the need for extra supervision in crowded centers that are predicted to be filled with people during the holiday period.
The Chief of Police said that technical coordination meetings continue to be held to ensure the readiness of all parties in facing the Nataru holiday. The government will also conduct direct monitoring in the field to ensure that all potential obstacles can be resolved quickly. Through strong collaboration between various parties, he is optimistic that the implementation of Nataru this year will run safely and smoothly.
On the other hand, this year strategic steps have been taken to anticipate the spike in public mobility which is predicted to increase compared to the previous year.
The Head of the Indonesian National Police Traffic Corps, Inspector General Pol. Aan Suhanan, stated that the potential for public movement during the Nataru holiday this year is estimated to reach 110.67 million people, an increase of around 2.8 percent compared to last year. This data was obtained through a survey by the Transportation Policy Agency of the Ministry of Transportation.
Suhanan added that public movement is divided into two main categories, namely inter-provincial travel of 19.84 percent or around 55.86 million people and intra-provincial travel of 19.46 percent or around 54.81 million people. With this data, he emphasized the importance of more effective traffic flow management, especially on main routes that are predicted to experience congestion.
According to him, East Java is still the highest origin and destination of travel, followed by Central Java, Jabodetabek, West Java, and North Sumatra. Private cars and motorbikes remain the main modes of transportation of choice for the community, at 36.7 percent and 17.71 percent respectively.
Other modes of transportation such as buses, trains, and planes are also expected to experience increased use. The National Police will work with various parties to prepare a better traffic scheme, including traffic engineering and personnel placement at points prone to congestion.
Meanwhile, in the regions, North Sumatra is one of the areas preparing to face a surge in community movement during Nataru. The Head of the North Sumatra Transportation Agency (Dishub), Agustinus Panjaitan, said that around two million people are expected to travel within the province, while the number entering and leaving North Sumatra reaches millions of people.
To overcome this, the North Sumatra Provincial Government has prepared various strategic steps, such as limiting the operational hours of goods transportation during the peak homecoming and return flow periods. This policy aims to reduce congestion on main roads.
Agustinus also explained that the North Sumatra Transportation Agency encourages the public to use public transportation or free homecoming facilities to reduce the use of private vehicles. Safety inspections of transportation modes and driver health checks are also a priority to ensure safety during the trip. Readiness of alternative routes, anticipation of disaster-prone areas, and coordination with public transportation operators are important steps that have been taken by the local government.
Agustinus added that the Government has established service and monitoring posts to ensure more effective supervision during the Christmas and New Year holidays. These posts also function as a place for the public to get help, both related to traffic problems and other emergency needs. In addition, his party has conducted safety inspections (ramp checks) on public vehicles to ensure operational feasibility, as well as providing health tests, including urine tests, to drivers.
Meanwhile, the central government under the direction of President Prabowo Subianto is also paying great attention to the smooth distribution of logistics during the Christmas and New Year holidays. The government emphasizes the importance of the availability of basic necessities and fuel so that people do not experience difficulties in meeting their daily needs. Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka specifically asked regional heads to ensure the readiness of road infrastructure, including repairing potholes and providing adequate traffic facilities. The government also appealed to the public to use alternative routes to reduce congestion on main routes.
All the steps taken by the government show a mature readiness in welcoming the end-of-year holidays. Good coordination between the central government, regional governments, and related agencies, is expected to allow the public to enjoy a safe and comfortable trip. The leadership of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka is the main driving force in ensuring the smoothness and security of this year’s Christmas and New Year. This step also reflects the government’s commitment to providing the best service to the public.
)* Contributor to the Reading Window Institute
