Police, councillor demand stern action for rioters
JAKARTA (JP): Two former police officers and a city councillor said on Sunday the police should take tough measures against rioters and criminals during the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) next month.
Interviewed separately on Sunday, former National Police chief Gen. (ret) Awaloeddin Djamin, former city police chief of detectives Col. (ret) Adang Rismanto and the deputy chief of the United Development Party (PPP) faction at the City Council, Ali Imran Husein, told The Jakarta Post the police had to be free to take stern action against rioters.
"Whoever has witnessed brawls or full-blown riots here knows how out of hand things can get. The masses are provoked by the smallest things, and they will attack or burn whatever or whoever comes into sight.
"They don't think twice about sadistic killings and acts of arson that they believe are above the law and law enforcers. Police need to take stern action against them, since it is the job of the police to secure the capital," Awaloeddin said.
City authorities called on the City Council on Friday to issue a decree granting security agencies the authority to take stern action against rioters and criminals during the Assembly's upcoming General Session.
"Written approval is needed to protect security officers from legal sanction over their implementation of stern security measures against rioters and other law violators," Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso told journalists during a media conference.
Adang said on Sunday that when it came to those areas of the city prone to riots, the actions of the police should be judged on their professionalism.
"If people incite riots, burn and hurt people and the police just stand guard, that's just not professional," the former head of the chemical and biological forensic division at the National Police Forensics Laboratory said.
"Police officers are law enforcers and it is their job to take stern action against people who could do a substantial amount of harm to the capital and its people.
"If an arrested perpetrator tries to get away, the police officer fires warning shots, and if the criminal still tries to run off, then the officer is to shoot to paralyze," he said.
Although the City Council has yet to hold a meeting to discuss whether it will issue a decree giving security agencies the authority to take stiff measures against criminals during the General Session, Ali Imran Hussein said he fully supported the idea.
"A police officer has to act. The officer is a human being and as a human being, he or she has limitations. I urge city residents to keep the peace during the MPR General Session and not cause any disturbances," he said.
Earlier, Sutiyoso said the council's formal approval of such a decree would help security personnel perform their duties on the streets.
Sutiyoso discussed the issue at City Hall on Friday with Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Nurfaizi, Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu and the head of the Navy's main base, Commodore Djuhana Suwarna.
Nurfaizi, who spoke at the same media conference as Sutiyoso, said the police would focus on security precautions in the capital ahead of the General Session.
"We can deploy up to 7,700 police officers to maintain security during the General Session," he said.
Nurfaizi also hinted the City Council had given its verbal approval to allow security personnel to take firm action against rioters and criminals during the General Session. (ylt)