CBD office workers ready with contingency plans
CBD office workers ready with contingency plans
JAKARTA (JP): Management and employees of offices located
along trouble spots for street rallies on Jl. Sudirman and Jl.
M.H. Thamrin in Central and South Jakarta are bracing for the
worst-case scenario after the presidential election on Wednesday.
Preparations include bringing changes of casual clothes,
stockpiling instant food and devising contingency plans.
Andreas, an employee of Aetna Life Indonesia in the Anggana
Danamon building complex on Jl. Sudirman, said that his office
permitted all of its employees to wear casual clothes in the past
few days to allow them to blend into a crowd.
"We usually have to wear a tie during work hours," said the
cashier in his casual shirt and shoes.
He said women in the office were also allowed to wear pants
instead of the usual formal dress.
Most of the employees have also started to use public
transportation.
"It's safer during such times," Andres said.
Similar safety measures have been adopted by PT Inter Bumi
Nugraha, which manages Plaza Sentral located adjacent to Atma
Jaya University.
The firm's technical manager, Roger Kwando, said employees
were advised to bring extra clothes in case they were stranded
during riots.
"We have prepared adequate instant noodle and mineral water
for three to four days if the condition forces us to stay in the
office," said Roger, who is in charge of about 75 employees,
including security guards at the building.
Other employees of offices located along the streets are
bringing extra food provisions.
"I am afraid that restaurants will close during the next few
days," said employee Yosepha MW of RSI Bank.
Some offices and shops were open on Tuesday but on full
security alert.
Plaza Indonesia's management has trained all its tenants in
security procedures.
According to Rahman from the Alfred Dunhill store and Rido
from Loewe, the building management prepared a meeting point for
tenants to be evacuated if the situation became dangerous.
"We have been trained to leave through emergency exits and
they will also prepare transportation," said Rahmat.
Management of PT Wisma Nusantara International has prepared
what it calls an Emergency Communication Network for dangerous
situations, said building manager Irwan Makdoerah.
"We have prepared job descriptions for those responsible under
emergency condition. For example, there will be people in charge
of evacuation and guarding emergency exits," Irwan said.
Chief of security for Wisma GKBI in front of Atma Jaya
University, Thomas M. Flohr, said his 30 security guards were
instructed to prepare themselves for overtime demands.
"Security guards have been instructed to be on alert, to
always check the security situation in the surrounding area and
inform the developments to all tenants," he said.
Like most foreign companies, tobacco company PT Philip Morris
Indonesia has a complete contingency plan in the event of riots
in front of its office on Jl. Sudirman.
"We are cooperating with a security company which provides
transportation along with security guards to evacuate our
employees if riots happen," corporate affairs manager Geroad
Yusuf said.
Mobil Oil, which is located near the Semanggi cloverleaf, has
similar preparations at the ready.
"We do not have a special contingency plan, we are only
watching the situation clearly every hour before deciding if to
send everybody home and close the office," communication
coordinator Julia Tumengkol said. (ind/04)