More firearm permits issued to civilians

JAKARTA (JP): The National Police have issued 175 firearm permits to civilians, mostly businessmen, in the first eight months of this year, an officer said on Monday.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar M. Sianipar said this figure was more than double last year's total of 71 permits.

The permits were all for the use of handguns with calibers of between .22 millimeter and .32 millimeter, he said.

He said the significant increase in the number of permits issued was caused mainly by people's fear of the country's fragile political and economic situation.

"Businesspeople today feel secure when they own guns ... it shouldn't be that way. The National Police force and the Indonesian Military are responsible for this nation's security," Togar told The Jakarta Post.

"It's a very sad situation when Indonesians themselves no longer trust the upholders of the law to safeguard this country," he said.

According to a police source, most of the civilians applying for and receiving the permits were Chinese-Indonesians.

"They still can't get over the 1998 May riots where the ethnic Chinese were the targets of angry mobs," the source said.

Data from Togar's office showed the National Police issued a total of 255 permits during the first eight months of this year, including 61 to military/police officers, 12 to government officials and seven to retired military/police officers.

The total number of permits issued last year was 262, with 101 of the permits being issued to military/police officers.

In all, the police have issued a total of 517 permits for the personal use and possession of firearms, including 246 to businessmen, 162 to military/police officers, 64 to retired military/police officers and 45 to government officials.

Togar said the permits were issued strictly for self-defense purposes and "nothing else".

"Misuse of the permit could result in the revocation of the permit, while the person involved will be sentenced according to existing regulations," he said.

Togar did not say where permit recipients purchased guns, since selling firearms is illegal in the country.

He also said police across the country continued to be puzzled by firearm smugglers.

"Their ways of smuggling have become very difficult for us to trace. But I'd like to assure the general public that once caught, the smugglers can be given a maximum jail sentence of 20 years," Togar said. (ylt)