Councilors divided on alert centers

JAKARTA (JP): Councilors yesterday were divided on whether the new alert centers at district military commands would help citizens in trouble.

Members of the ruling Golkar and United Development Party (PPP) faction favored the centers, saying they would help in the early detection of problems.

"People should not be afraid to go to the centers, because reports will be received not just by military officers, but city officials and informal leaders," Golkar member Zakiruddin Djamin said. The reports would then be directed to the appropriate bodies.

The centers, opened last month, were intended to involve both ABRI and civilians in security matters, he said.

PPP faction member M. Banang said the centers would not take over the jobs of other offices or the council.

"And people would feel supported by the district military command because their reports would be taken from the alert centers to the relevant officials," Banang said.

The councilors said military district commands were the best place for alert centers to prevent problems turning into riots, because their command structures could easily coordinate with government offices, Banang said.

On Monday Jakarta Military Commander May. Gen. Sutiyoso urged the public to use the centers by calling the free 122 hotline or going directly there.

Meanwhile a councilor of the Indonesian Democratic Party faction, Romulus Sihombing, hinted officials would avoid doing their jobs by unnecessarily directing people to the alert centers.

"As far as I know the centers only handle general security issues that could lead to riots," Sihombing said.

He said it was "illogical" to tell people with land problems to report to the centers.

He was referring to the fire victims of Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, who were directed to their local alert center after meeting the head of the local public order office Monday. Sihombing said it was wrong of the official, Boy Firman, to tell the fire victims to report their land status claims to the local alert center.

Authorities have banned residents from rebuilding on the 1.4- hectare plot because it is city asset. Firman said he could not deal with claims on land status as he was only authorized to prevent building on city land.

Sihombing said Firman should have helped the fire victims by reporting to the mayor, who could coordinate matters with the local office of the National Land Agency.

A man claiming to have owned a building on the razed plot, Kiswanto, said four delegates had gone to the local alert center. But the people there told them not to complain about officials. (anr/11)