PDI to help police safeguard Greater Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) on Monday expressed its readiness to cooperate with the city police in efforts to safeguard the Greater Jakarta area, the chapter's chairman Roy B.B. Janis said.

Roy, speaking after a meeting with Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman, said the PDI's Jakarta chapter would liaise with the city police over security issues in the capital and use 500 community posts which it has throughout Greater Jakarta as a network to assist the security forces.

Roy said the PDI loyal to Megawati Soekarnoputri now had at least 500 social welfare posts in the capital, one in each subdistrict of Greater Jakarta.

The location of each post is marked by a big red banner which reads: "Posko Gotong Royong PDI Megawati."

The posts sprang up in the capital after the May riots with the aim of helping victims of the deadly unrest.

The posts are now reportedly being used to help those who are badly in need of cheap basic commodities and laid-off workers seeking information on job vacancies.

"The posts could be used as police shelters to help them monitor the security situation, so the police and our members can work together to prevent crime," Roy said.

Roy, however, said the plan was still at a conceptual stage and that no definite plans had yet been laid down.

Meanwhile, city police spokesman Lt. Col. Edward Aritonang confirmed that Roy and Noegroho held a meeting on Monday, but refused to give further details.

He said the police appreciated any initiative from the public to help guard against unrest in the city.

"It's good that the public, under their own initiative, are taking steps to help the police maintain security in their city," Aritonang told reporters.

Roy, who was accompanied by party member Yacob Nuwa Wea, met National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi later in the day.

When pressed on whether their visit to the police headquarters was in any way related to the party's plan to hold a national congress in Denpasar, Bali, from Oct. 8 to Oct. 10, Roy said the meeting was simply by way of introduction.

"We are just here to introduce ourselves to the National Police chief. It's an informal visit and has nothing to do with the planned congress in Bali," Roy said.

However, he confirmed that 18 members of the PDI's Jakarta chapter would attend the Bali congress and warned other members not to follow suit to avoid the possibility of unrest.

"Jakarta is only sending 18 people. If the number is more than that and trouble results, it's really not our responsibility because we have warned people not to travel," Roy said. (emf)