Police out in full force for New Year's Eve

Police out in full force for New Year's Eve

National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said the police would
remain on full alert to prevent any violence during the New
Year's Eve celebrations.

"All regional headquarters have carried out security
operations approaching the New Year's holiday. The operations are
part of the same package as the earlier Idul Fitri and Christmas
holidays," he said on Monday during a press conference.

"God willing, the holiday will be as safe as Idul Fitri and
Christmas," he said.

The police have deployed 200,000 of the force's 300,000 total
officers to guard mosques, churches, shopping and entertainment
centers, as well as other public facilities, with backup from the
military.

Most of the regional headquarters are now equipped with bomb
detectors and bomb-defusing devices, Da'i Bachtiar said.

The police chief will be in Bali to accompany President
Megawati Soekarnoputri, who arrived on the island on Monday
evening ahead of a massive festival planned for New Year's Eve
titled "Bali for the World".

Megawati will attend the festival, which will be held near the
scene of the October bombings that killed over 190 people, mostly
foreigners.

Megawati is scheduled to join in on a musical performance
titled Kembalikan Baliku (Return My Bali), named after a song
written by her youngest brother Guruh Soekarnoputra, before
banging a gong on Kuta Beach to welcome the new year. -- JP