Navy ready to secure MPR session

JAKARTA (JP): The Navy has put on alert its strong fleet of warships, submarines and speedboats in the Jakarta Bay to ward off any marine disturbances to the Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

Inspecting the grouping on Saturday, Navy Chief of Staff Vice Adm. Widodo AS said it was assigned to detect and defend against threats originating from the bay.

"We have to remain alert because everything that threatens marine security would affect the activities on the land," Widodo was quoted by Antara news agency as saying.

"We are trying in our effort to maintain security at sea so that people on land can concentrate (on doing their job)."

The four-day session opens on Tuesday.

The grouping encompasses 18 warships from the western and eastern fleet commands, four Navy boats, six planes from the Air Force and six patrol boats from the Sea Police, Sea and Coast Guard (KPLP) and Customs Office.

The warships include corvettes, frigates, patrol speedboats, beach patrol boats and troop carriers.

"During an event such as the MPR session, we need to pay close attention to our territorial water like the Jakarta Bay and the others," Widodo said.

"So we always concentrate the warships there."

Widodo also urged his soldiers to increase their sensitivity to possible fallout resulting from what he called a "multidimensional crisis" which could ultimately threaten the entire society.

The grouping is part of the security operation named Mantap Laut-3/98.

After delivering his speech on the deck of KRI Teluk Banten, Widodo moved to the deck of a speed patrol boat KRI Barakuda.

Among those present were Deputy Vice Adm. Achmad Sutjipto, Assistant for Operational Affairs to the Armed Forces' Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Sutarto, Western Fleet Commander Rear Adm. Mudjito, Marine Corps Commander Maj. Gen. Suharto, Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Djadja Suparman and Deputy Jakarta Police Chief Brig. Gen. Sutanto. (ivy)