People can help maintain order, security: Wiranto

JAKARTA (JP): City Military chief Maj. Gen. Wiranto expressed satisfaction yesterday over the orderly conduct of the myriad of public activities held recently to mark the 50th anniversary of Indonesia's independence, saying it showed that the people can themselves play a role in maintaining order.

"The recent massive programs in commemorating the golden anniversary of our independence have attested to the fact that the people can help maintain order and security," Wiranto told reporters after installing a new chief of the Tangerang military district.

Wiranto cited the National Grand Fiesta at the National Monument Square, Central Jakarta, on Aug. 19 as a case in point. Despite being attended by approximately 1.2 million people, no major incidents occurred during the gathering, he said. The general made no mention of the two people killed during the Grand Fiesta celebration. One of the fatalities was electrocuted after climbing onto the roof of an electric train at Gambir station, while the other was trampled to death by the crowd near the main stage.

"Without the people's ability to keep themselves in order, the 5,500 security officers deployed during the grand party would have been inadequate to keep public order and security," he said.

He expressed gratitude to all people who helped the officers in charge of maintaining order and who were active in ensuring the success of all the activities held to commemorate the 50th independence anniversary.

This month people throughout the country celebrated the golden anniversary of Indonesia's independence by holding various activities, including sports contests, music festivals, exhibitions, and the national Youth March.

All of the activities in the capital ran smoothly and successfully, without any major hitches, Wiranto said.

He called on the people to continue increasing their awareness of the need to help maintain public order and security.

The two-star general installed Lt. Col. Bambang Susilarso as the new chief of the Tangerang military district, replacing Lt. Col. Darizal Basir.

Susilarso, a 1974 graduate of the National Military Academy, is a former operational officer of the City Military Command, while Basir, a 1973 graduate of the same academy, will be installed as the new head of Tanah Datar military district in West Sumatra.

After graduating from the National Military Academy, Susilarso, 45, served for eleven years as an officer in the Cavalry Battalion VI of the Bukit Barisan Military Command in Medan.

A father of two sons, Susilarso was an instructor at the National Military Academy from 1986 to 1989 before taking up his post as commander of the Malang-based Cavalry Battalion.

After completing his Army command course in Bandung in 1990, he became chief of the Cavalry Technology Institute. He was then named chief of the Jakarta-based Cavalry Battalion IX and then became an operational officer of the City Military Command, before being installed as the chief of the Tangerang military district.

Wiranto reminded the new installed chief of the "new, daunting challenges," he would face in the post, telling him that Tangerang, as a growing town, has a high crime rate that warrants constant vigilance on the part of the security officers in charge.

"To face social problems and security disturbances that might arise all officers responsible should cooperate with the public," he said. (29)