East Java Police Tighten Security for 1 Suro Commemorations Across Several Regions

The East Java Regional Police are tightening security for the 1 Suro or Islamic New Year 1 Muharam 1448 Hijriah commemorations in several cities and regencies by adding personnel and implementing a number of provisions to maintain public security and order. “Personnel are deployed on standby according to requests from each district police, including in Surabaya, which is one of the areas with quite high participant mobility,” said East Java Regional Police Head of Public Relations, Senior Commissioner Jules Abraham Abast, in Surabaya on Tuesday. He stated that security measures were implemented starting Monday (15/6) until the entire series of 1 Suro activities concludes. Additional personnel are dispatched to district police forces according to needs and the level of vulnerability in each area. According to him, security is not only focused on the Greater Madiun area, but also Greater Surabaya and several other regions expected to be points of mass movement during the Suroan activities. In addition to strengthening security, the East Java Regional Police are enforcing a number of provisions for participants in the ratification activities of martial arts school members. Police urge participants and chaperones not to wear sacred school attributes or clothing when departing from or returning from the activity location. The police also require participant groups to use closed four-wheeled vehicles without attaching school attributes to the vehicles and prohibit convoys that could potentially disrupt public order and traffic flow. Participants are also prohibited from carrying sticks, school flags, community attributes, as well as lighting firecrackers, fireworks, or flares. Other prohibitions include acts of provocation, spreading hoaxes and hate speech on social media, and consuming alcohol and illegal drugs during the activities. After the ratification process is complete, participants are asked to return directly to their respective homes and not engage in activities that could potentially trigger crowds or security disturbances. “The public is urged not to be easily provoked by unverified information and to continue obeying traffic rules during their activities,” said Senior Commissioner Abast. With the addition of personnel and strengthened security, the East Java Regional Police hope that the entire series of 1 Suro commemorations in the region can proceed safely and orderly, without disrupting public activities or road users.