Residents complain about S Sulawesi city's mentally ill

JAKARTA - Parepare city in South Sulawesi faces an increasing number of people with mental illnesses on its streets.

The city has received the Adipura cleanliness award nine times, but the current situation appears to be disrupting city life in Parepare.

Syamsuddin, a local resident, said many mentally ill people wandered on the roads, causing traffic problems in the city.

"They disturb motorists, especially if they wander around the port area. Some frequently stand in the middle of the road," Syamsuddin said as quoted by kompas.com on Wednesday.

He added that others walked naked through the streets.

Responding to the issue, Parepare city administration acting secretary H. Andi Mustafa Mappangara said other unidentified individuals were to blame.

"These individuals bring mentally ill people from other areas to Parepare on purpose," Mustafa said. However, he did not give details as to why such unnamed individuals were allegedly sending mentally ill people to the city.

He added that he would coordinate with other related offices, especially health and social services offices, to resolve the problem.