Police to protect legislators and House complex
Police to protect legislators and House complex
JAKARTA (JP): The National Police agreed on Friday to demands
to step up security at the House of Representatives.
According to a security agreement reached by House Speaker
Akbar Tandjung and National Police chief Lt. Gen. Rusdihardjo,
the House building will be closed to nonmembers, including
demonstrators, after 6 p.m.
"We will take stern action if groups forcibly try to stay at
this honorable building," Akbar, who also chairs the Golkar
Party, said.
Both Akbar and Rusdihardjo ruled out the possibility of
allowing House legislators to carry firearms to protect
themselves.
Akbar admitted the security agreement was in response to two
recent shooting incidents at the House.
In the latest incident on Monday, a bullet struck a window in
a corridor on the first floor of the 23-story building that leads
to House Commission V for trade, industry, manpower, cooperatives
and investment. The incident took place minutes after former
president Soeharto's youngest son, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra,
entered the room for a hearing with commission members.
On Feb. 7, a bullet broke a window in the office of United
Development Party (PPP) legislator Suryadharma Ali on the 16th
floor of the building.
Rusdihardjo said the police were still investigating the two
shootings.
Akbar said it was difficult for House security guards to
maintain order in the building if it was crowded with protesters.
Hundreds of former workers of shoemaker PT Kong Tai Indonesia
in Tangerang, West Java, occupied the House for almost a month to
demand compensation after the company, a license holder of
Reebok, was closed by its Hong Kong owner.
Earlier, a group of students claiming to represent City Forum
(Forkot) held a sit-in at the House to protest the government's
plan to increase electricity rates and the price of gasoline.
Rusdiharjo said that following the attempted murder of
People's Consultative Assembly deputy speaker Matori Abdul Djalil
earlier this month, the police also would increase patrols at
the official and private residences of legislators.
The demand for increased security first arose following the
killing of PPP legislator Tengku Nashruddin Daud, whose body was
found on Jan. 25 in Medan, North Sumatra.
Rusdiharjo said the police investigation showed Nashruddin was
slain by four unidentified men in Tuntungan, near a racetrack in
Medan, a few days before his body was dumped.
He said police had questioned 21 witnesses, but had not yet
named any suspects because "the witnesses were not cooperative
during questioning". (jun)