Police force get grooming tips in new raid deal<\/p>\n
Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The police have vowed to take care when raiding hotels and
\nrestaurants in Indonesia so as not to damage the establishments'
\nreputations and hurt their businesses.<\/p>\n
The pledge is part of the memorandum of understanding (MOU)
\nsigned by Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI)
\nchairperson Yanti Sukamdani and National Police chief Da'i
\nBachtiar on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Under the MOU, which spells out standard operation procedures
\nfor raids on hotels and restaurants, the police will coordinate
\nwith management before conducting raids and will not invite
\ntelevision journalists to cover the action.<\/p>\n
This is not applicable in drug busts.<\/p>\n
The MOU came following rising concerns among many hoteliers
\nand restaurant owners that raids by the police, who are often
\naccompanied by television journalists, have tarnished their
\nreputations and hurt their businesses.<\/p>\n
\"Fear of being raided and publicly exposed on television has
\nmade guests feel reluctant to stay in hotels or visit a
\nrestaurant.<\/p>\n
\"We support the police measures to fight crime but the method
\nof raids is not productive for tourism, which is already
\nsuffering,\" PHRI secretary general Adnan Karamoy said last month.<\/p>\n
Following the signing ceremony on Thursday, Da'i said the
\npolice could understand such concerns.<\/p>\n
\"Hotel owners naturally aim to provide comfort for their
\nguests. Therefore, in taking security measures, we (the police)
\nmust take an extra careful approach to avoid any kind of loss for
\nthe hotels.\"<\/p>\n
However, he warned hoteliers against using the MOU as a
\npretext to allow crimes, such as prostitution and gambling, to
\ntake place in hotels.<\/p>\n
State Minister for Culture and Tourism I Gde Ardika, who
\nwitnessed the signing ceremony, welcome the MOU, saying it would
\nbe helpful to develop the country's tourism industry.<\/p>\n
According to Yanti, aside from setting standard raid
\nprocedures, the MOU also stipulates that police train hotel and
\nrestaurant personnel in securing their workplaces effectively.<\/p>\n
In return, the association will teach police officers English,
\nhospitality and grooming.<\/p>\n
Yanti said she was optimistic that thanks to the MOU, more
\npeople would stay in hotels in the future and the country's hotel
\noccupancy rate would improve.<\/p>\n
Yanti said the Bali bombing last year had dealt a heavy blow
\nto the country's tourism industry. The Iraq war, which came when
\nthe country was beginning to recover, has again brought the
\nindustry into the doldrums.<\/p>\n
The country's hotel occupancy rate now averages 45 percent, a
\nslight decrease from 50 percent in the week before the war, Yanti
\nsaid.<\/p>",
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