Safeguard MPR session: President

JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie instructed the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police to step up security precautions for the upcoming General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), Minister of Information Muhammad Yunus said on Wednesday.

He said the President ordered Minister of Defense and Security/TNI Commander Gen. Wiranto and National Police Chief Gen. Roesmanhadi to concentrate troops around the House of Representatives (DPR)/MPR compound in Senayan, Central Jakarta.

The minister said the President also asked the military chief to deploy troops around the hotels where the 700 MPR members will stay during the General Session.

"To safeguard the MPR General Session, an operation coded Martabrata VI, will be launched, involving 17,957 police and 15,000 TNI personnel," Yunus said after attending an eight-hour Cabinet meeting at the Bina Graha presidential office.

The new DPR/MPR members are scheduled to be inducted on Oct. 1, while the MPR General Session is slated to be held sometime in November.

The session will elect a new president and vice president, and formulate the State Policy Guidelines (GBHN). Habibie has indicated that he would like to run for another five-year presidential term.

During the MPR Special Session last November, the military deployed about 80,000 troops. They were also assisted by about 125,000 armed civilian militiamen (Pamswakarsa), the deployment of which stirred controversy for weeks.

On Nov. 13, as the Special Session was underway, heavily armed police and troops opened fire at university students who were marching to the MPR building. At least 12 people died and 150 others were seriously injured, mostly by gunshots, in a clash at the Semanggi cloverleaf in South Jakarta.

"Please make sure that all places around the MPR and hotels where the legislative members stay will be guarded," the President said, as quoted by Yunus.

The President also ordered Yunus to appeal to the national press to help the government create a conducive atmosphere before and during the General Session.

"This is an appeal, because the press plays a very important role in national political affairs," said Yunus, who is widely respected for his defense of the country's press freedom. (prb)