Council approves request for bomb disposal equipment

Council approves request for bomb disposal equipment

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The City Council approved on Wednesday a police request for Rp
9.7 billion (US$1.07 million) worth of bomb disposal equipment,
but the city administration said it only had the money to provide
a portion of the equipment.

"If it is needed, we will support the police in purchasing 15
sets of bomb disposal equipment," the council's deputy chairman,
M. Suwardi, said following a meeting with city police deputy
chief Brig. Gen. Edi Sunarno at City Hall.

Suwardi said he hoped the money for the requested eight sets
of bomb disposal equipment could be taken from the city's
emergency fund, which currently stands at about Rp 400 billion.

One set of bomb disposal equipment, which costs Rp 1.21
billion, includes an explosives detector, a metal detector, two
hand-held inspection mirrors, an inspection mirror trolley, eight
armored body vests and two bomb blankets.

Edi Sunarno said six sets of the equipment would be kept in
the city's six police precincts, and two sets at the city police
headquarters.

"If the money can be disbursed the purchase can be made in the
next two weeks," Edi said.

He said the city police were badly in need of the equipment,
especially in light of the Bali bombing and the numerous bomb
blasts in the capital over the past couple of years.

The officer said the city police currently had only one set of
bomb disposal equipment.

Under the regional autonomy laws, the city administration
funds the city police and its efforts to maintain security and
order.

The administration recently provided the police with 86 patrol
cars valued at a total of Rp 8.6 billion. Aside from the patrol
cars, the administration budgeted Rp 20 billion this year for the
police's needs, including the purchase of telecommunications
equipment.

While the police have won over the City Council, the
administration will prove to be a tougher sell. City spokesman
Muhayat said the administration only had the funds to provide
three sets of bomb disposal equipment.

"This year we budgeted Rp 20 billion (for the police). So we
can only finance a maximum of three sets of equipment," Muhayat
said at City Hall.

And he added that the purchase of the equipment could only be
financed by the 2003 City Budget as this year's budget had
already been allocated for other priorities.

Many observers believe the security situation in the city is
as bad as ever, despite the administration budgeting Rp 20
billion for the police and allocating more than 40 billion for
public order operations.

These observers also fear that with the police dependent on
funds from the city, officers will be reluctant to investigate
irregularities in the administration.

The city police announced on Monday they will question
Governor Sutiyoso next Tuesday as a witness in the alleged misuse
of Rp 4.5 billion meant for flood victims. The money was handled
by the Institute of Civic Education in Indonesia. Sutiyoso asked
the non-governmental organization to manage the money, which was
raised in March this year. Sutiyoso has said he is prepared to be
questioned.