Batam, Riau Islands, Jan. 28 -- Indonesia's Home Affairs Ministry has instructed border regions, including Batam in the Riau Islands, to prepare temporary shelters for foreign refugees as part of a shift toward more anticipatory migration management, an official said on Wednesday.

Aang Witarsa Rofik, director of National Vigilance at the Home Affairs Ministry, said refugee handling could no longer rely on reactive measures as regional displacement pressures continue to grow.

"In the past it may have been sufficient, but going forward we need serious mitigation," Aang told a coordination meeting of the foreign refugee task force in Batam.

He said Indonesia is currently hosting about 12,060 displaced people, comprising 7,377 refugees and...