City Police to seize firecrackers on New Year's eve
City Police to seize firecrackers on New Year's eve
JAKARTA (JP): In an effort to establish peace and order in the
capital on New Year's eve, the City Police will conduct raids
against firecrackers, an officer said on Friday.
City police spokesman Supt. Bahrul Alam said the raids would
be held because the 2001 new year celebration is close to the
Idul Fitri celebration, which has always been associated with
firecrackers.
"We predict that firecrackers will still be sold widely until
the new year.
"Firecrackers are very harmful. Firecrackers have claimed many
casualties during the Takbiran night ahead of Idul Fitri," Bahrul
told reporters at his office.
On the evening of Idul Fitri, firecrackers had reportedly
injured 35 residents at several locations in Jakarta. All of the
victims were admitted to hospitals for treatment. Some of them
had lost their fingers, had their bones broken and even their
eyes damaged.
As of Friday, three injured victims were still being treated
at the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM) in Central
Jakarta.
Some locations identified as popular areas for firecrackers
are the National Monument (Monas) area, Jl. MH Thamrin, Jl.
Sudirman, Tanah Abang, Parkir Timur Senayan and Jl. Tambak, all
in Central Jakarta; Bulungan and Pasar Minggu in South Jakarta;
Cililitan, Cawang and Otista in East Jakarta.
Data available at the City Administration stated that there
were 27 casualties being treated at eight hospitals in Jakarta
since Tuesday night.
Sumber Waras hospital in West Jakarta has been treating four
victims: Firmansyah, 16, Paryono, 22, M. Syaiful, 18, and
Sudarmadji, 30, who was later transferred to the AINI Eye
hospital in Central Jakarta.
Pelni Hospital in Central Jakarta has treated three victims
identified as Syahrul, 19, Chandra, 5, and Wahyudi, 5, while
Graha Medika Hospital in South Jakarta has treated two victims,
identified as Lila Maisyah, 18, and Chung Hie Lie, 43. Meanwhile,
St. Carolus Hospital in Central Jakarta has only received one
victim, identified as Agus Tiwi. R.
Among the eight hospitals, RSCM received the most victims
during the evening of Idul Fitri. M. Toyib, 43, and Ujang, 16,
were still being treated at the hospital's emergency unit. Other
victims who have been treated in RSCM were Ari Saefulloh, 4,
Pandu Aji, 13, Hardoyo, 30, Rodikin, Ibnu, 20, Budi, Iman, Iman
Wahyudi, and Nur Oktobri, 13.
Fatmawati hospital in South Jakarta only received one victim
identified as Andreas, 17, while Tebet hospital accommodated two
victims identified as Ade, 28 and Sujono, 40.
Bahrul said the Jakarta Police headquarters called on city
residents not to celebrate the New Year with firecrackers.
He warned that those caught playing with firecrackers could be
charged with Emergency Law No. 12/1954, which carries a maximum
punishment of 12 years in jail.
"So, there is no reason to celebrate the new year with
firecrackers," he said. (01)