Five new military stations inaugurated

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso inaugurated five new military sectors in Jakarta, Tangerang and Bekasi yesterday.

Sutiyoso, whose jurisdiction covers the city's outskirts, said the operation of the military stations (Koramil) were needed to improve public services and territorial supervision.

"The military stations are expected to help police guard public safety," Sutiyoso said at the ceremony, held at the Kembangan housing complex at the military sector in Meruya, West Jakarta.

The new military sector stations besides Kembangan were the Jagakarsa military station, South Jakarta, the Duren Sawit military station, East Jakarta, the Pondok Aren military station, Tangerang and the Jati Asih military station in Bekasi.

The new military sector stations now support the respective Bekasi and Tangerang military district commands.

The new stations, he said, were particularly essential as they were located in government office and industrial areas, "where people of various professions are concentrated," he said.

Ideally, Sutiyoso said, there should be 95 military sectors in Jakarta alone, instead of the current 75.

Potential unrest could occur in residential areas where people from middle and higher income levels, workers and the unemployed live, he said.

"Territorial personnel are needed...to detect and prevent potential threats...and to provide a sense of security for residents," Sutiyoso said.

Personnel of the new stations should immediately attain full knowledge of their environment, he said.

"Issues of religion, race and ethnic groups, and employment, are still...sensitive areas," Sutiyoso said.

He urged the public to use the services of Alert Centers at each military district command using hot line number 122.

The Alert Centers were set up following an instruction from President Soeharto in January after riots occurred in several areas.

Sutiyoso said the public has often reported disturbances or complaints to the centers, including criminal activities. The centers were designed to channel complaints to police or other related offices.

"But reports declined after the general election," he said. (jun)