The Marriott reopening<\/p>\n
Well over a month after the event it is hard to forget the
\ndeadly car bomb attack that devastated JW Marriott Hotel in the
\nMega Kuningan business district, Central Jakarta, on Aug. 5 this
\nyear. Twelve people were killed and 147 others injured by the
\nblast, which was believed to be linked to global terrorism.<\/p>\n
Apart from the grief that resulted from the violent death of
\nso many innocent people, the precious lesson that we can learn is
\nthat an effective security system is essential, wherever and
\nwhenever.<\/p>\n
So on Monday the Marriott, which is part of an American hotel
\nchain, reopened, with much tighter security in place.<\/p>\n
The new design of the main approach to the hotel makes it
\nimpossible for guests to park their cars close to the lobby, and
\nanyone entering the establishment must be searched and go through
\na security gate and metal detector. That is also what
\nCoordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo
\nBambang Yudhoyono experienced when he visited the hotel on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
At least 10 security personnel armed with rifles in front of
\nthe Sailendra restaurant are ready to check guests' cars. The
\ndecision to reopen the hotel, despite the serious damage that it
\nsustained and the lingering fear of its guests and employees,
\ndeserves appreciation. It reflects the management's courage and
\ndetermination not to bow to terror.<\/p>\n
From the point of view of the investigation the resumption of
\nbusiness at the Marriott indicates that the police have done
\ntheir job so quickly that they need not work at the site any
\nlonger. From the business point of view the hotel's reopening,
\ndirectly or indirectly, assures investors that security in the
\ncapital city is improving. The other message from the Marriott
\nreopening is the reemerging optimism in the tourism industry,
\nafter it was crippled by the devastating blasts in Bali.<\/p>\n
But while we feel the deepest sympathy for those affected by
\nthe Marriott bomb, we regret to have to say that the Marriott
\nattack could not have occurred if all the parties concerned,
\nespecially those in charge of the antiterrorist drive, had been
\nalert and responsive to the terrorists' moves. The bombs at
\nJakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and the House of
\nRepresentatives complex, and the discovery of documents believed
\nto belong to Jamaah Islamiyah saying that the Kuningan business
\ncomplex was marked as a possible target for terrorist attack,
\ncould have awakened our antiterrorist agencies to the danger.<\/p>\n
Something must obviously be wrong with the communications
\nsystem linking those in charge of security and the public.
\nApparently, the early information or warning of possible terror
\nattacks that was received by intelligence agencies was not
\neffectively conveyed to the public, for reasons as yet unknown.<\/p>\n
On the positive side, the Marriott blast has been a valuable
\nlesson to owners of other high-rise buildings and office blocks,
\nwho tightened their security systems soon after the bombings.<\/p>\n
Extra-tight security measures are now applied by several
\nshopping malls and plazas in Jakarta -- which, incidentally, they
\nshould have brought in long before the Marriott was attacked.
\nDrivers must now wait longer before proceeding to the parking
\nramps of buildings to have their cars searched. Some high-rise
\nbuildings apply even tighter measures by asking guests to leave
\ntheir ID cards with the receptionist or security desk -- a system
\nthat, by the way, is considered illogical as terrorists could
\nenter buildings with false ID cards but armed with explosives.<\/p>\n
To be honest, though, some apprehension remains in spite of
\nall these measures. The Indonesian public tends to be easily
\nshocked by bomb blasts such as the one at the airport a while
\nago, but easily forgets that fear when no more blasts occur for
\nsome time. Obviously there is no need to turn the clock back. We
\njust want to reiterate the lesson from the Marriott blast that
\nsecurity measures must be applied to everyone without exception,
\nespecially in public places, at any time, even if we hear of no
\nmore terrorist attacks.<\/p>\n
Only in this way will the public be reassured about their
\nsafety. Only when safety is guaranteed can we all go about our
\nlegitimate business in the capital city.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-marriott-reopening-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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