Jakarta, Feb. 8 -- Former Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla called on Jakarta residents to take an active role in flood prevention and control by keeping their neighborhoods clean.

He stressed that Jakarta's recurring floods have had extensive adverse impacts on social and economic activities in the capital.

"Please keep in mind that the people are hit the hardest when flooding occurs, as this disaster forces shops to close, halts small businesses, and causes hours-long traffic congestion, which in turn leads to wasted fuel," he remarked in Jakarta on Sunday.

Kalla, who served under Presidents Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Joko Widodo, made the statement in his capacity as chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) after overseeing ...