City Hall prepares employees for worst

JAKARTA (JP): Most civil servants have been advised to take T- shirts or other informal clothes to work to wear after office hours in a bid to survive any unexpected social unrest.

Senior City Public Order Office official Toha Reno said Friday that this kind of preventive action started at the beginning of the staple food market operation last September.

"It's not serious... it's just advice. There is no direct instruction from the governor. But to avoid any unexpected situations, we have to be prepared.

"As you know, angry crowds may blindly attack officers in uniform. Therefore, the appeal (to bring and change their clothes) is especially meant for those dealing with staple food matters," he said.

Many residents are getting increasingly angry over the scarcity of food supplies and skyrocketing prices.

A secretary at the City Regional Economic Bureau said that she was afraid to go out wearing her uniform, especially after working hours.

"I prefer to change clothes after work, because we don't know what will happen out there. Once there were riot rumors... I had forgotten to bring my other shirt, and suddenly I felt sick in my stomach. I sneaked out and took a taxi home. I'm afraid to take buses. From then on I always had shirts in my office cabinet."

She said that one of her friends who is also a city official had a harsh experience.

"It happened when there was a staple food rush. The crowd panicked as they brutally grabbed the rice supplies from trucks. My friend (who was wearing a uniform and standing near them) was blamed by the crowd as many people did not get the supplies. Fortunately, he was saved by some of the vendors in the market," she said.

The head of the City Regional Economic Bureau Hari Sandjojo said the appeal was necessary to protect the officials.

"I personally advise them to be careful these days. But remember that every city official must obey the rules. In working hours, they have to wear uniform. If they want to change clothes, they have to do it after working hours, unless there is an emergency," he added. (edt)