Blok M, Taman Mini prepares for delegates
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Security officers would direct delegates at the Asian-African Summit to Blok M in South Jakarta should they wish to do some shopping, police said on Monday.
The delegates, however, may visit other shopping centers in the capital but would not be accompanied by security personnel.
City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono said that the delegates have also been scheduled to visit Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in East Jakarta, but did not give any date when they would visit the park.
"We have placed 120 security personnel at each of the places to make sure that the area is secured," Tjiptono told The Jakarta Post.
Blok M is well-known for its merchandise -- from low-priced merchandise around Melawai to higher-priced goods in shopping centers such as Pasaraya Grande or Blok M Plaza. People often say visitors have not come to Jakarta if they have not visited Blok M.
Taman Mini, on the other hand, is a place where people can see the traditions and culture of all provinces in Indonesia in one vast park.
Security preparations for Blok M and Taman Mini are being made by the police, who have also conducted many raids throughout the city from April 10 to April 17. Hundreds of people have so far been arrested for carrying sharp weapons, firearms and drugs. The city has been on full alert since April 15.
More stringent security measures will be in place on April 20 and April 21 when foreign ministers from all the participating countries will meet at the Jakarta Convention Center while a total of 24,701 personnel will guard the April 22 to 24 April conference where 56 heads of the state will gather.
Around 60 bomb squad personnel will guard the Hilton Hotel and Mulia Hotel to prevent any possible bomb attack.
Police are deploying 10,854 personnel while the remainder come from the TNI and city administration.
Police have also provided the shortest possible routes from both Halim Perdanakusuma in East Jakarta and the Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Cengkareng, Banten province to the Hilton Hotel and Mulia Hotel, where most of the participants will stay.
From Halim Perdanakusuma, all participants will pass Cawang, Jl. MT. Haryono, Jl. Gatot Subroto, Semanggi, and end up at the Hilton and Mulia.
From the Soekarno-Hatta Airport, they will go through Sediyatmo toll road to the Semanggi cloverleaf and then to the Hilton and Mulia hotels.
The route from Soekarno-Hatta to Hilton or Mulia, and from Halim Perdanakusuma to both hotels will be guarded by 206 and 356 personnel respectively.