JSX building set to reopen on Monday

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)