Governor warns officials of influx of people to city

JAKARTA (JP): In the wake of heightening political tension, Governor Sutiyoso has ordered the heads of local administrations, ranging from mayors to subdistrict chiefs, to remain vigilant for people coming from other towns who may be out to endanger the capital's order and security.

Head of the data gathering and processing center Raya Siahaan said on Wednesday that the order, formalized through Gubernatorial Instruction No. 129/2001 dated April 24 and signed by city secretary Fauzi Bowo on behalf of the governor, stipulated that the administration heads should cooperate with the security authorities and other concerned institutions in order to maintain public order.

"They have been instructed to get all civilian defense and public order officers, as well as civilian police auxiliaries (Banpol), ready to help local communities put precautionary security measures in place," Raya said.

The ruling also instructed all mayors, and district and subdistrict chiefs to remain in the capital on Sunday and Monday, when two huge rallies are expected to take place.

On Sunday, hundreds of thousands of Nahdlatul Ulama supporters will flood the city to attend a mass prayer meeting, which many regard as a mere show of force by the Muslim organization in support of President Abdurrahman Wahid. The embattled President is facing a second motion of censure when the House of Representatives convenes after its recess on Monday.

Separately, the City Land Transportation Agency reported that there had been a gradual increase in the number of people coming to the capital over the past week. The report said that only 29,400 people had arrived at bus terminals across the capital on April 18, but five days later the number had soared to 41,200.

"The increase indicates the arrival of people from East Java, Central Java and West Java. Normally there are only between 8,000 and 10,000 people entering the capital," the agency's head Buyung Atang said.

Safeguard

Also in the day, two associations of indigenous Jakartans claiming to have 15,000 members pledged to fight Abdurrahman's supporters if they provoked riots in connection with the planned mass prayer on Sunday and the House plenary session on Monday.

Chairman of the associations, the Tanah Abang Big Family Association (IKBT) and Anticommunist and Antiviolence Indigenous Betawians (ABANK), M. Yusuf Muhi told a media conference that they would safeguard their neighborhood in Tanah Abang, especially the railway station and market, and the House complex.

"The Betawi community welcome any visitor to the capital. But we are also prepared to fight those who want to show off magic powers and provoke riots in the city with the sole purpose of defending one person: the President," he said.

"If President Wahid's supporters try to terrorize the DPR and create chaos in Jakarta, we are ready to fight them to the death."

The two Betawian organizations also called on political leaders to pacify their respective supporters and suggested that they settle problems through discussion instead of physical force.

Yusuf said that IKBT and ABANK recommended that security authorities shoot on sight any of President Wahid's supporters who were responsible for inciting riots across the capital.

Meanwhile, some villa, bungalow and hotel owners in the Puncak hill resort near Bogor said their rooms had been booked out for the weekend. The reservations had been made mostly by Jakarta people.

An employee of the Safari Garden Hotel, Fredy, told Antara that all of the hotel's 400 rooms had been booked from Friday through Tuesday. He said it was common for people to stay in the hotel over the weekend.

"Normally the hotel occupancy rate reaches 60 percent during the weekend, but this time around the hotel has been fully booked," he said, adding that some people had been turned away.

Quoting some customers, Fredy said the Jakartans were afraid of security uncertainties on Sunday and Monday.

Some people had even reserved rooms for the coming weekend in the Bukit Raya Permai Hotel three weeks ago, a hotel staff member said. (01)