PDI to help police safeguard Greater Jakarta
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)