Govt says Megawati must guarantee security and order
JAKARTA (JP): The government is allowing Megawati Soekarnoputri to continue with plans to hold a congress of her Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) faction in Bali as long as she can guarantee security and order on the popular tourist island.
Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto, Minister of Justice Muladi and National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi separately said on Tuesday that a security guarantee from Megawati was needed before the government would issue a permit for the congress.
"From a security point of view, we don't mind (the congress) as long as they are sure they can safeguard it (from degenerating) into riots, which could disturb Bali as a tourist island," Wiranto said to journalists after a plenary session of the House of Representatives (DPR).
"We're only concerned because in the past PDI congresses always ended in clashes, which would affect tourists' feeling of security.
"ABRI suggests that the organizers choose another site," he said.
Despite previous government calls that she cancel or at least move the venue of her congress planned for Oct. 8 to Oct. 10, Megawati has refused to budge and has continued with her preparations.
The government only recognizes Megawati's rival camp of the PDI, currently led by Budi Hardjono.
Pressed whether the Armed Forces would safeguard the planned event, Wiranto said ABRI would provide security for "anyone who holds a congress anywhere".
He, however, explained that it was extremely important for the nation to preserve Bali's image of being safe for tourists after massive riots that had rocked cities elsewhere in recent months.
"It (tourism in Bali) is a national commodity that has earned us a great deal of foreign exchange," Wiranto said. "So if there are riots, we're worried it could tarnish (Bali's) image."
Warning
Muladi made comments to the same effect, but added a warning: "If riots broke out, she (Megawati) would be held accountable ... because it is she who is holding the congress," he said at the DPR.
Roesmanhadi said the government had yet to issue a permit for the congress.
"There hasn't been any official answer (to Megawati's request for a permit)," he said.
Commenting on Wiranto's statement, National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas) Governor Lt. Gen. Agum Gumelar said the government expected Megawati to promise that her congress would run smoothly and without any security disturbances.
"Mbak (Sister) Mega must first guarantee there won't be any disorder if a permit for the congress is granted by the government," he told reporters during a break at a seminar on nationalism which was held on Tuesday by Lemhanas.
Security affairs, he said, should be the collective responsibility of everyone, rather than the sole burden of ABRI.
Agum said he was confident the government would act wisely and eventually grant a permit, adding he did not know why it had yet to do so.
Deployment
Despite the lack of a permit, Bali Police Chief Brig. Gen. Gunawan took the initiative on Tuesday to deploy 2,000 personnel to secure the congress. In a meeting with organizers Ida Bagus Wesnau and John Sara, he spoke of the possibility of deploying local troops as reinforcements.
"I do not concern myself with the question of permits. That is the business of the National Police headquarters. My main concern is to safeguard Bali," he said.
Although the congress is still nine days away, shops in Denpasar have started selling wares with PDI symbols. Local supporters have spent approximately Rp 1.5 billion (US$136,136) to decorate the congress venue and surrounding areas.
Twenty area doctors will provide 24-hour free medical services for the congress.
"About 20 doctors and dozens of nurses have applied for voluntary medical service during the congress," deputy secretary of the PDI Bali chapter Sarwa Kabiana said as quoted by Antara on Tuesday.
Apart from the congress preparations, thousands of Chinese- Indonesians and Golkar cadres in the regencies of Temanggung and Kendal in West Java have applied for membership of Megawati's PDI.
"They (the Chinese-Indonesians and Golkar cadres) decided on their own to join PDI under Megawati's leadership," said chairman of the PDI's Temanggung branch loyal to Megawati, Bambang Sukarno.
"They joined Megawati's PDI after they learned that Megawati had been garnering greater support from not only local people but also the international community," secretary to the PDI's Kendal branch loyal to Megawati, Soetedjo, said separately. (aan/har/imn)