Golkar tightens security measures at office entrance

Golkar tightens security measures at office entrance

JAKARTA (JP): Dominant faction Golkar beefed up its security
yesterday by placing metal detectors at the entrance of its
office on the seventh floor of the People's Consultative Assembly
building.

Security guards from the Jakarta military command, wearing
batik shirts, asked people entering the site, even Golkar
members, to pass through the metal detectors and searched their
bags.

The devices were not seen on the floors of the other four
factions.

Golkar Secretary General Ary Mardjono, responding to queries
about the curious heightening of security, said the devices were
installed as a precaution.

"Security measures are always needed everywhere. Although
strict security has already been applied around the Assembly
compound, we think it is acceptable to place the devices here,"
Ary told a media conference.

"This is for the sake of your safety too. We don't intend to
restrict your activities here," he added, referring to
journalists.

The seventh floor is serving as the post of the Golkar faction
during the March 1 to March 11 general session of the Assembly.
Each of its top executives, including State Minister of National
Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Minister of Public
Housing Akbar Tandjung, Minister of Information R. Hartono,
President Soeharto's daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana and her
brother Bambang Trihatmodjo, has a working room there.

The Army, Navy, Air Force and Police have readied 25,000
personnel in Jakarta to safeguard the five-yearly meeting which
will endorse the 1998/2003 State Policy Guidelines and elect a
president and vice president. The number is more than twice as
large as the 11,000 deployed for the 1993 event.

At least 16,500 fully armed officers are being deployed in the
field, while another 8,500 will stand by in reserve.

Prior to the General Session, a spate of food riots took place
in many areas in Indonesia, including the provinces of West and
East Nusa Tenggara and East, Central and West Java.

The rioting died down shortly before the session commenced on
Sunday, but student protests in some state-run universities have
been intensifying over the past few days.

Ary said there had been no specific incident that prompted
Golkar to call for an intensification of security.

When asked why Golkar had not installed the metal detectors
from the beginning of the General Session, Ary said: "Maybe the
city military command needs time to prepare the devices."

Spokesman for the Armed Forces, Brig. Gen. A. Wahab
Mokodongan, who attended yesterday's session as an observer,
agreed with Ary.

"We'd rather think positively. You know Golkar is the largest
faction and there are VIPs in it. Many people walk around its
quarters here," Mokodongan said, adding that each faction was
allowed to request extra security.

Chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) Ismail Hasan
Metareum criticized Golkar's security policy and called it an
exaggeration.

He added the Moslem-based faction would not follow in Golkar's
footsteps.

"What are the metal detectors for? The security officers
posted at the Assembly compound are more than enough already," he
told reporters after presiding over a session.

The tight security measures drew complaints from another PPP
executive Hamzah Haz, who said last week that the huge deployment
of troops and police had sparked anxiety among people. (amd/byg)