TEMPO.CO, Jakarta-President Joko Widodo has canceled his planned visit to Jambi over safety reasons, officials said Thursday, October 8.
The presidential plane cannot land at the Sultan Taha airport because of the thick haze from forest fires, reducing visibility levels, Bey Mahmuddin, chief if the Presidential Press Bureau, said in Padang.
He said that the president's visit to Jambi will depend on the weather.
“It is likely that [he will visit] this Saturday, October 10, if the weather is friendly. This is still tentative," said Bey.
Bey said that the president on Thursday will instead go to the Bung Hatta Palace in Bukit Tinggi, West Sumatra. On Friday, the president is scheduled to visit Jambi and Riau by land to look at the progress of the forest fires mitigation efforts.
The president has been planning to visit Jambi and Riau to monitor how the haze situation is being handled.
Jokowi is also scheduled to visit Mentawai Island to check on the residents' latest condition and inspect the area's post-tsunami development.
On Sunday, October 11, the president will travel to West Sumatra to review the construction of an airport train and close the "Tour de Singkarak" bicycle racing event.
BISNIS | RR