Foreigners choose to stay, monitor security situation

Foreigners choose to stay, monitor security situation

Fitri Wulandari and Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Despite the massive tourist exodus from Bali, many foreign
nationals in Jakarta have yet to follow suit as they said they
would rather monitor the situation first.

Interviewed separately on Tuesday, they told The Jakarta Post
that the security situation in general was conducive while at the
same time saying they expected the government to improve efforts
to ensure their safety.

Renville Almatsier of oil producer Caltex Pacific Indonesia
(CPI), the country's largest oil producer, said that none of
their expat workers were leaving or planning to leave the
country.

"If there is any of our expat workers going abroad, that's
because they are taking their annual leave and not because they
are afraid," he said.

CPI employs 150 expats among its total 5,500 employees in
Riau. There are only three expats in its Jakarta office.

"We are working closely, however, with Riau Police to
safeguard the oil fields and the employees," said Renville.

Meanwhile, Stanley T. Okahara, who hails from Hawaii, said he
was sure that the Indonesian government was doing its utmost to
ensure security here. "I believe that the Indonesian authorities
have done their best to keep Jakarta safe."

Okahara, who has a timber business here, said he and his expat
colleagues would stay here despite the travel warnings issued by
the U.S. Embassy.

"The travel ban was issued by the U.S. government. But we
private individuals do not consider it necessary to leave
Indonesia despite the bombing," he said. "My American, Australian
and British friends are still here."

The Australian and British Embassies have also issued travel
warnings concerning Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Ichiro Isozaki from Japan said the government
should do everything to restore the feeling of security,
especially among foreigners, in the aftermath of the Bali
bombing.

"Foreign investors put security as their first priority before
tax or other financial incentives.

"The government must work hard and prove to the public that
they are doing something to solve the bombing case," said
Isozaki, who owns an industrial software house here.

Despite the British travel warning, Thames Pam Jaya (TPJ) has
yet to evacuate its expatriate employees pending developments in
the security situation here.

"We're still monitoring the situation and do not yet see the
necessity of evacuating our expat employees," TPJ public
relations manager Mia Korompis Dwianto said.

"We are coordinating closely with the authorities on security
developments. We have increased security in our offices and water
installations as well."

The UK-based TPJ is one of two foreign-owned water utilities
providing water to the city in cooperation with city-owned PAM
Jaya.

The other company, Pam Lyonnaise Jaya (Palyja), also said that
none of its expat employees had been evacuated following the Bali
bombing.

"The company has yet to order an evacuation yet. We also
haven't increased our security significantly," said Palyja's
public relations officer, Rina.

Similar stoicism was also shown by international schools in
Jakarta.

The Korean International School on Jl. Bina Marga, East
Jakarta, is on a one-week break since Monday following tests.

The school's security officer told the Post that the break did
not have anything to do with the Bali bombing.

"The students will be back next Monday after the break. The
vacation has got nothing to do with the bombing," a security
guard, Sukasmin, said.

"You should make an appointment first with our spokesman to
get more detailed information.

"We will not allow strangers to meet any of our staff without
a prior appointment," he added.

Sukasmin, however, admitted that there had been additional
security provided by the local police and military authorities.

Khadambary Mattu, principal of the Ichthus primary school,
said no special security measures had been taken as the school
was only a small, private one.

"We keep a low profile not only because we are a small school.

"But also because we do not have so many expat students.
Indonesian students are the majority here. So the problem is not
the same," she said.

Mattu, an Indian national, said that the school had its own
way of responding to the horrific bombing. "As Indians, we have
our own experiences and we take it with calmness," she said.