Security lax at KPU, says official<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan and Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post,
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Security measures at the General Elections Commission (KPU)
\noffice are lax, making it vulnerable to attack by intruders, head
\nof the commission's Security Bureau, Djon Sani, says.<\/p>\n
Djon said the office lacked security guards and had a poor
\nsecurity system, rendering it impossible to anticipate attack.<\/p>\n
Djon said the office had only three security groups with five
\nsecurity officers in each group, while it required about 12
\npeople per group.<\/p>\n
"We cannot monitor the building closely, for example every two
\nhours, as my staff are concentrating on manning the security
\npost, managing and monitoring the parking lot and checking
\nvisitors," Djon said.<\/p>\n
Djon was asked to comment on an anonymously sent package of 11
\nbullets that was delivered to the office on Tuesday evening. In
\nthe package was also a note that demanded the KPU select a
\ncertain specification of ballot box for the 2004 general
\nelection.<\/p>\n
The KPU has opened a tender for the procurement of ballot
\nboxes for both the legislative election in April 2004 and the
\ntwo-phased presidential election in July and August 2004.<\/p>\n
The package raised concerns over the safety of the 11 KPU
\nmembers and staff members at the office.<\/p>\n
The KPU compound has only one main gate. There is no emergency
\nexit, making it difficult for KPU members and employees to leave
\nthe building in the event of a terrorist attack or protest.<\/p>\n
"We planned to make an emergency exit at the back of the KPU
\nbuilding, but we cannot use the land there as it does not belong
\nto the KPU," he said.<\/p>\n
Djon said the KPU intended to use a lot and vacant building
\nowned Bank Indonesia for an emergency exit, but BI said it still
\nneeded the land and building," he said.<\/p>\n
"So we have no way out yet concerning an emergency exit," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Protection for KPU members was also at a minimum as only two
\npolice officers guarded KPU chairman Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin, while
\nother members had no such protection, he added.<\/p>\n
"It would be better for the police to give KPU members
\npersonal protection as they are public servants who can make
\nenemies because of their decisions," he said.<\/p>\n
In the event of a fire, he said fire extinguishes were
\navailable at the KPU office. However, it has not been checked
\nwhether the extinguishes work.<\/p>\n
"We have asked firefighters to check the devices to ensure
\nthat we can use them, but they have yet to do so," he said.<\/p>\n
He said the KPU office had two undercarriage mirrors to check
\nvehicles, four metal detectors and six cameras. The commission is
\nplanning to put up a airport-style detector gate.<\/p>\n
"The city police also plan to connect the KPU's camera to a
\ntelevision monitor at the police office," he said.<\/p>\n
The Central Jakarta Police said they had started investigating
\nthe anonymous package sent to the KPU members and were
\nquestioning five witnesses and collecting evidence.<\/p>\n
"We have set up an investigating team and a fact-finding team
\nfor the case," Sr. Comr. Sukrawardi Dahlan, head of Central
\nJakarta Police, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/security-lax-at-kpu-says-official-1447893297",
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