Police gear up for MPR session<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Police are warning protesters that any violence or law
\nbreaking during the upcoming People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
\nAnnual Session will result in stern action.<\/p>\n
\"We will be reasonable with demonstrators if they express
\ntheir views in accordance with the prevailing regulations. But,
\nif they turn violent or break the law, we will clamp down on
\nthem,\" Jakarta Police spokesman Anton Bachrul Alam told The
\nJakarta Post here on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Anton said police, for instance, would detain demonstrators
\nfor setting fire to any effigy or picture of the president and
\nvice president.<\/p>\n
\"Contempt of the president or vice president is against
\nCriminal Code No. 134 which carries a maximum six-year prison
\nsentence,\" Anton said.<\/p>\n
Anton revealed that police were still detaining a demonstrator
\nfor trampling on a picture of the president during Tuesday's
\ndemonstration in front of the State Palace.<\/p>\n
He said that 12 organizations had so far notified police of
\ntheir intention to stage rallies during the session. They include
\nthe hard-line Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and Laskar Jihad,
\nHizbut Tahir, the Justice Party and the Indonesian Prosperity
\nTrade Union (SBSI).<\/p>\n
Anton said he did not know the names of the other
\norganizations, their agendas or the dates they planned to
\nprotest.<\/p>\n
\"However, our intelligence unit reports that there are more
\nthan 25 organizations that have planned to take to the street,\"
\nAnton said, adding that police would only allow the demonstrators
\nto rally outside the MPR compound.<\/p>\n
The Assembly session will take place from Aug. 1 to Aug. 10.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Police has deployed 5,800 police officers to safeguard
\nthe session under normal circumstances. However, it is ready to
\ndeploy 25,000 extra military and police personnel if the
\nsituation deteriorates, and 38,000 extra military and police
\nofficers if the situation turns particularly ugly.<\/p>\n
Most of the reserves are from outside Jakarta, namely West
\nJava, Central Java, East Java, Bali and Lampung provinces.<\/p>\n
Anton also said that police were ready in their respective
\nposts, including those monitoring the security of the 344 MPR
\nmembers who arrived in Jakarta on Wednesday and were staying at
\nHotel Mulia Senayan in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
They will also tighten security around business and shopping
\ncenters.<\/p>\n
The operation will last for 25 days at a total cost of Rp 4
\nbillion.<\/p>\n
Anton said the funds had been disbursed to the police.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-gear-up-for-mpr-session-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }