21,000 personnel for G-15 summit

JAKARTA (JP): Some 21,000 officers from the National Police and the Indonesian Military (TNI) will be deployed across Greater Jakarta, to provide security for the Group of 15 (G-15) summit and the House of Representatives' plenary session on May 30.

"The bulk of the security forces will provide security in the capital beginning May 28. Sharpshooters (police) will be spread across Greater Jakarta, particularly in crowded, public areas like department stores and malls. This is to take control in case any unrest breaks out," City police chief Sofjan Jacob.

Sofjan added that sharpshooters would also be placed around the People's Legislative Assembly/House of Representatives (MPR/DPR) building in Senayan, Central Jakarta.

As reported earlier, the House is scheduled to invite G-15 leaders, due here at the end of the month for the summit, to the House plenary session which will decide whether to proceed with an impeachment process against President Abdurrahman Wahid.

The G-15 summit, which groups Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela and Zimbabwe, is scheduled to convene on May 30 and May 31. (ylt)