Local chiefs told to watch migrants

Local chiefs told to watch migrants

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta's Deputy Governor for Administrative
Affairs Abdul Kahfi on Friday instructed chiefs of community and
neighborhood units (RT/RW) to closely watch migrants who had not
yet registered as Jakarta residents.

Kahfi told the city's five mayors at a City Hall meeting that
they should order RT/RW chiefs to closely monitor migrants.

The meeting was abruptly called after a bomb blast demolished
an Acehnese dormitory in Guntur subdistrict, South Jakarta,
killing two people on Thursday.

Kahfi said the RT/RW chiefs should quickly report to the their
respective subdistrict chiefs if they noticed anything suspicious
concerning migrants.

"The RT/RW chiefs should actively monitor their residents.
Among the places that should be monitored are dormitories housing
people from other provinces," he said.

He called on Jakarta residents, especially city officials, to
increase their alertness so as to prevent unexpected incidents
from occurring given the current uncertain political climate. The
officials should also intensify their communications with the
people.

Meanwhile, Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso called on Thursday night
for Jakarta to stay on the alert as more terrorist acts not be
ruled out.

"But people shouldn't panic as a result of this incident," he
said.

He called on people to increase their awareness of suspicious
persons in their neighborhoods, including watching their houses.

He was of the opinion that the blast had to involve a
terrorist network.(jun)