East Java declared safe for elections

SURABAYA: East Java police chief Maj. Gen. M. Dayat declared on Tuesday the province was safe and ready to enter the election campaigning period. The security authorities, he said, were deploying all available personnel -- namely 18,000 police, 4,000 military personnel and 22,000 trained civilians.

The police chief identified a number of areas that were considered prone to unrest. They include the northern coastal area of Tuban, Gresik and Surabaya, the horse shoe area of Madura and northeastern coastal towns of Pasuruan, Probolinggo, Situbondo and Banyuwangi.

"We are monitoring these areas seriously," Dayat said.

Surabaya, the capital of East Java which has a population of 34 million, has in the past few days been gearing up for the election campaigning period. Security personnel were posted in various strategic areas such as government offices and shopping centers.

Supermarkets such as Hero and Alfa Retial saw long queues of shoppers wishing to stock up on supplies.

All neighborhoods in the city have accelerated local security measures including night watches, while posh housing complexes have reinforced security measures such as installing barbed wire.

The first day of campaigning here on Wednesday will be used by Golkar, PDKB, PARI, PNI, PDR, PSII-1905, Republic Party, PIB, Suni Party and Crescent Star Party (PBB).

The PBB and Golkar will hold campaigning inside the Pancasila Sports Stadium and Women's Building. Open space gatherings are held by several parties near the zoo and the Putro Agung square.

Each of the parties here have four rounds of campaigning, but street rallies are prohibited. (nur)