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)