Indiscriminate pickpocket

SURABAYA (JP): Where there is sugar, there are ants, goes a well-known Indonesian proverb. Where there is festivity, even a religious occasion, there are pickpockets. That was what happened at the Istiqlal Festival II 1995's Tabligh Akbar (great sermon), held at Surabaya's Great Mosque Sunan Ampel on Friday night.

And sure enough, the pickpockets didn't work halfheartedly. They chose celebrities as their victims.

Secretary-General of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) Parni Hadi, who is also deputy coordinator for the festival's procession, lost important documents and Rp 300,000 (US$132.74). Noted preacher K.H. Zainuddin M.Z. lost his hand phone which was in his secretary' possession.

Around 13 other people, mostly senior officials and organizers were among the victims. Head of Antara news agency's bureau in Surabaya, Tukidjan Purwohandoyo, was one of them.

An officer at the North Surabaya police office was quoted by Antara yesterday as saying that the mosque is reported to be a favorite area for pickpockets. They often operate in the mosque's compound, especially on Friday legi (according to Javanese calendar) when many people visit the grave of Sunan Ampel in the compound.

"We have tightened the security, especially when many people come to this place, but there are always victims," said the policeman.(als)