Marriott reopens amid tight security
Marriott reopens amid tight security
Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
"No, no fear. Look at our security measures. After all, it's
unlikely that another bomb will strike the same place twice,"
said Budi, a doorman at the JW Marriott Hotel in South Jakarta.
The hotel, part of an American chain, reopened on Monday after
it closed for a little over a month after the devastating car
bomb that took the lives of 12 people and injured 147 others.
Located at the center of Mega Kuningan business complex, South
Jakarta, the hotel reopened without any special ceremony. A few
foreign and domestic guests were seen walking into the hotel from
8 a.m., undisturbed by the tight security around the hotel.
Security personnel checked each vehicle wishing to approach
the hotel, even at the gates of Mega Kuningan, some distance from
the Marriott.
An entire lane of the road in front of the Marriott was used
to erect a tent where eight security personnel plus armed Mobile
Brigade (Brimob) police troops checked vehicles.
However, vehicles were not permitted passage to the driveway
to the lobby with drivers being directed to Plaza Mutiara next to
the Marriott.
Guests then had to pass through another security check point,
guarded by four security personnel, four Tourism Police and armed
Mobile Brigade personnel, before walking about 100 meters to the
hotel lobby.
Muhid, a Silver Bird taxi driver, said that after seeing the
security measures he was sure that another attack would not be
possible.
However, he said the measures were an overreaction and "too
tight and a bit of paranoid".
He said his taxi would not need to be thoroughly checked and
complained that taxi drivers felt inconvenienced because they now
had to park in front of Plaza Mutiara and were facing the wrong
way, which disturbed other motorists.
Marriott spokeswoman Mellani Solagratia told The Jakarta Post
that the parking arrangement was permanent.
"We have coordinated with Mega Kuningan management who
approved the plan," she said.
However, foreign guests seemed not to be disturbed by the
security.
Eugene Flynn, an American businessman who has lived in Jakarta
for 10 years, said he came to the hotel for breakfast to support
the Marriott.
"The bombing was a dreadful occurrence. It's unfortunate that
these security measures are necessary," he said, adding that he
now felt far more comfortable and confident thanks to the
security.
Governor Sutiyoso also praised the security measures when he
spoke in front of the main entrance of the hotel at midday.
He said security personnel had checked his car upon entering
the hotel, even though they knew that he was in the car.
"No exception. That's the way it's supposed to be," he said.
The governor, along with Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen.
Makbul Padmanagara, were then escorted to the Marriott's
Sailendra restaurant, which has been repaired since the bombing.
The restaurant, whose original capacity was around 330 seats,
was operating with some 250 seats, most of which were occupied by
1 p.m.
No fear was discernible on the faces of the guests, who
appeared to have forgotten the attack. Most seemed to be enjoying
their business lunches. Everybody was back to business.
Mellani said that before the blast the hotel's occupancy rate
was between 50 percent to 60 percent and the management was
aiming to reach that rate as soon as possible.