Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Thursday that Indonesia will send a contingent of humanitarian workers to Haiti to help the people affected by the 7.0-magnitude earthquake.

"I have instructed an Indonesian contingent to depart to Haiti to help Haitians who have been affected by the massive natural disaster," Yudhoyono was quoted by the Jakarta Post as saying at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in East Jakarta.

The president said that the relief workers should act quickly after a disaster struck to save more lives.

The team will depart on Friday, according to the head of the National Disaster Handling Agency (BNPB) Syamsu Maarif.

(Xinhua News Agency January 14, 2010)