600 police safeguard football match tonight

JAKARTA (JP): At least 600 police equipped with batons and five dogs will be deployed for the final between Mastrans Bandung Raya and PSM Ujungpandang of the Indonesian football championship here tonight.

Hundreds of military personnel will back up the police to avoid a repeat of the mass brawls and vandalism which erupted around Senayan stadium shortly after a weakened Mastrans defeated Mitra Surabaya in the semifinal match on Friday.

According to Central Jakarta police chief, Lt. Col. Abubakar Nataprawira, Friday's violence left at least two people seriously injured and 19 cars and four buses damaged.

The number of vehicles hit by stones was actually slightly higher than that. A Post reporter saw at least 50 cars and more than five buses vandalized.

"I was driving through Jl. Sudirman heading to Blok M when the supporters threw stones at my car and the other vehicles near me in front of the City Police Headquarters," said Irma, owner of a Peugeot sedan.

A total of 60 Mitra supporters and two Mastrans fans were detained by the police last night but some of them were released yesterday afternoon after their identities were established.

Some of the thousands of Mitra supporters went home yesterday.

According to Widjanarko, director of the Perumka railway company for Greater Jakarta, the firm provided tickets to 3,715 Mitra's supporters from Senen railway station to Pasar Turi station in Surabaya, East Java.

"It cost Rp 50 million, which will be paid by Governor Basofi Sudirman as promised," Widjanarko told reporters yesterday. Crowding into 11 wagons, the fans were escorted by 100 military personnel and 10 members of the elite Mobile Brigade police unit.

They threw stones at houses and stations during the 12-hour trip.

Motorists are advised not to use the streets around Senayan stadium around the time of the match. (bsr)