JSX building set to reopen on Monday

JAKARTA (JP): Closed since Thursday, the Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) building will be ready to reopen on Monday.

Director of property developer PT Procon Indah which manages the JSX building, Carrey Alam, said on Sunday that all preparations for the reopening of the building, following the bomb blast at its parking lot on Wednesday afternoon, have been completed.

"The building is ready to reopen tomorrow (Monday) and the management has already inspected all facilities in the building.

"We have to keep the basement parking lots closed for the next few months because we have to redesign them as not to traumatize people. They would be reopened in less than six months," Carrey said.

Wednesday's blast, the fourth of its kind in the capital this year, claimed at least 11 lives and injured dozens.

The first bomb in the capital this year, exploded in a lavatory of a building within the Attorney General's Office compound in June, but there were no fatalities. The second bomb blast, of a C4 type, exploded in front of the residence of Philippine Ambassador Leonides T. Caday, killing two people and injuring 21 others, including the ambassador.

The third blast, on Aug. 30, occurred when a bundle of powerful firecrackers placed inside a public minibus, parked on Jl. Taman Margasatwa in Ragunan, South Jakarta, exploded. No fatalities were reported.

On Sunday evening, many employees were still busy checking the JSX building's integrated system, including the electrical system, elevators, air conditioning, infrared videos and the sewer system.

The electrical and air conditioning systems were working well, but security officers prevented people from using the toilets, as the sewer system was still being tested.

The entrance to the parking lot was blocked by iron sheets as the reconstruction of the area would be starting soon. During the renovation, the JSX will lease the parking space of Kafe Tenda Semanggi, which is located in front of the building.

Following the bomb blast on Wednesday, the JSX building had suspended its activities because of the extensive destruction to its parking lots, while also damaging the sewer system of the building.

The building management has leased two public toilets, to be placed near the entrance of the wrecked parking lot, as all the restrooms inside the building cannot be used.

"We will place the two leased toilets at the parking lots until the construction work is completed," Carrey said, citing that the renovations and preparations had been running 24 hours a day for the last four days.

He, however, declined to disclose the total loss the building had suffered due to the blast.

He said the management had also decided to improve the building's security system by installing metal detectors and having specially trained dogs, starting Monday, to check everyone entering the building.

"It will be easier for people with employee identification cards to enter the building, however they will still have to pass the metal detectors.

"As for visitors, besides passing the metal detectors, they will also be required to open their bags, if they have any, before entering the building," he added.

Carrey said on the first day many employees might have to stand in line before entering the building because of the security measures.

"But we don't have much choice, we have to be extra careful. We are even planning to buy a machine detector to be placed at the entrance of the parking lot," he said.

The JSX management personnel, including the Capital Market Supervisory Agency chief Herwidayatmo, JSX president director Mas Achmad Daniri and JSX chief commissioner Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas visited the building on Sunday evening to inspect the final preparations. (dja)