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.