Police guarantee security during General Session

Police guarantee security during General Session

JAKARTA (JP): City police chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata
guaranteed yesterday that the 1,000 members of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) could rest assured that officers
would maintain security and order.

He said no less than 700 police officers would guard the MPR
building, where the General Session would be held.

"The security condition in and around the city is excellent.
Everything is under control. There is nothing to worry about," he
said after inaugurating yesterday afternoon a new police station
near the roundabout across from Hotel Indonesia on Jl. Thamrin in
Central Jakarta.

At least 16,500 fully armed police officers, backed up by
thousands of personnel from the Army, Navy and Air Force, have
been primed to secure the city during the sessions, which start
tomorrow and continue until March 11.

There are at least 4,000 additional police officers ready to
back up the operation, according to Jakarta Police data.

Some 2,300 officers are now on standby at National Police
Headquarters and ready to be deployed to any area in the country
if there is any possibility of riots.

At least 600 Mobile Brigade (Brimob) personnel are staying in
tents and living quarters at Jakarta Police Headquarters and they
have been active in dealing with a series of bomb hoaxes and
demonstrations around the city over the last two weeks.

Another 2,300 Brimob members from provinces in Sumatra, Bali
and Java also arrived here two weeks ago to provide additional
support. They have already been deployed to each of the nine
police precincts throughout Greater Jakarta, with each precinct
receiving between 100 and 300 back-up personnel.

Hamami reiterated that police officers were committed to
providing the best security services to ensure the success of the
sessions.

"We will secure not only the Assembly building and the hotels
where the MPR members are staying during the sessions, but also
the members themselves from their arrival at Soekarno-Hatta
International Airport until their departure."

Jakarta Police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said at least
300 officers have been deployed to secure the airport and the
transportation of MPR members from there to the hotels.

"When all the members have arrived at their hotels, these 300
officers will be utilized to support security in the city during
the sessions," he said.

The 1,000 MPR members will stay in four hotels: the Sari Pan
Pacific, Hotel President and Hotel Indonesia on Jl. Thamrin and
the Sahid Jaya Hotel on Jl. Sudirman.

The 16 MPR members of the Indonesian Democratic Party and 113
representatives of the Armed Forces are being accommodated at
Sari Pan Pacific.

The 97 members of Golkar's regional representatives are
staying at Hotel President and some 489 people, including all the
ministers and members of Golkar, are at Hotel Indonesia. The 134
representatives of the United Development Party and 149 members
of the regional representatives faction are staying at Hotel
Sahid Jaya.

Aritonang said about 150 police officers were stationed at
each of the four hotels.

"The officers will be fully responsible for the security in
and around each hotel. Each block of rooms in the hotel will even
be under their control."

He said that in order to give the best and most thorough
security services for the MPR members, the officers responsible
for security at a hotel were expected to be able to recognize the
members who stayed there.

Aritonang said there were other officers responsible for
escorting members to and from hotels and the Assembly building.

"All vehicles to be used by members will be checked. We'll use
some equipment, including metal detectors."

He said police officers would organize a new traffic route in
areas around the Assembly building to enable the members to
arrive there on time.

"It doesn't mean that we'll close Jl. Thamrin or streets
around the Assembly building. But sometime we'll probably have to
hold vehicles from one direction for a couple of minutes to give
way for the members' vehicles to go first."

Aritonang refuted an allegation that police had been
reportedly exercising their power to such an extent that they
seemed to be preparing for a war instead of a General Session.

"That's not true. I think what we have done here is natural. I
mean, this is a big and special event for the nation which needs
to be secured. I think the security provided for the last
sessions, five years ago, was more or less the same as now," he
said. (cst)