Police tighten security for 'Majelis Taklim'

JAKARTA (JP): Approximately 2,500 city police and military personnel will be deployed to maintain order and security during today's gathering of Majelis Taklim Islamic study groups at Senayan Stadium, which is expected to be attended by over 150,000 people.

Col. Muhantojo, who is responsible for security at the event, told reporters yesterday that the security personnel would be on duty from 6 a.m., three hours prior to the opening of the event. Muhantojo is also head of city police's Center for Command and Operational Control.

The religious gathering is one of the Moslem activities held to thank God for blessing the country and its people.

The event will include prayers of thanksgiving offered by 7,000 participants representing 2,500 Majelis Taklim groups, followed by a big oratory by 5,000 female participants and 2,500 students from various Moslem boarding-schools throughout Indonesia.

President Soeharto is scheduled to attend the event, which is one of the 30 events being held in Jakarta to mark the 50th anniversary of Indonesia's independence.

Muhantojo said traffic conditions would not be altered "because we strongly believed that traffic can be handled properly, as the event is being held far away from main roads."

He added that the stadium has a huge parking lot which can accommodate thousands of vehicles.

Muhantojo said the event's organizing committee has invited 4,000 VIPs and 12,000 other participants from West Jakarta, 10,000 each from South and Central Jakarta, 4,000 from East Jakarta, 3,000 from North Jakarta, 15,000 from Bekasi, 5,000 from Krawang, 600 from Lampung, 15,000 from Jatiwaringin and Pondok Gede, 10,000 from Bogor and its surrounding areas and about 4,000 from Jambi, Palembang and Padang in Sumatra. (bsr)