Public order assured on holidays

Public order assured on holidays

JAKARTA (JP): City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Dibyo Widodo said yesterday that his office has set up a temporary humanitarian operation to improve public services throughout the Idul Fitri holiday called Operasi Ketupat '95.

"The chief objective of the operation is to provide the public a feeling of peace and security during the Moslem festivities. All officers in charge will do their best to serve the people," Dibyo said during a ceremony marking the inauguration of Idul Fitri security forces at city police headquarters.

He pointed out that the officers should be polite and friendly but act firmly in the field.

"All of you should communicate properly with the public," Dibyo was quoted by Antara as saying.

The operation involves around 14,000 officials from the city army command, police force, Marine force, Highways Traffic Agency and those from the city public order and security office.

They will be deployed at various locations in the city as well as well as in Bogor and Puncak, the hilly tourist resort some 80 kilometers from here.

Dibyo said apart from giving better service to the public the operation will also focus on public order and security disturbances, traffic jams and other such problems.

Shortly after the ceremony Dibyo, Jakarta Governor Surjadi Soedirdja, City Council speaker M.H. Ritonga and several other officials inspected bus stations and terminals at Kampung Rambutan, Pulo Gadung, the DAMRI (state-owned land transportation company) in Kemayoran, and the Senen railways station.

Over the past 10 days bus and rail stations have been flooded by thousands of travelers returning to their hometowns to celebrate Idul Fitri, locally known as Lebaran.

They also visited several marketplaces in the city to monitor the prices of commodities as the city nears Idul Fitri, which falls on Friday and Saturday. (bas)