After Meeting Australian PM, SBY to Visit Yogyakarta

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will leave for Yogyakarta on Tuesday to obtain first hand information about the management of efforts to deal with the Mt Merapi eruption. The president himself made the remark at a function to open a plenary cabinet  meeting at his  office here on Monday.

"Although the management system is  running well and  Vice President Boediono has seen the victims, I myself will leave for Yogyakarta tomorrow (Tuesday) at about 4 in the afternoon after a series of meetings with visiting Australian Prime Minister  Julia Gillard," President Yudhoyono said.      The head of state admitted that after being informed on Monday morning about a new eruption of Mt Merapi, he immediately contacted Central Java and Yogyakarta governors.      "Soon after I heard the new eruption I communicated with the two governors by phone when they were managing emergency response," the president said. He added that the emergency response should be continued to prevent fatality in the new eruption.

"All efforts should be made to save the lives of our brothers and sisters in Central Java and Yogyakarta from the volcanic eruption," the president said.      On the other hand, the head of state also asked the people there to abide by the instruction from regional government and the officials in the field when they made evacuation. The cabinet plenary meeting was attended by all cabinet ministers to discuss ways of disaster management at home.