Security at 151 markets beefed up

JAKARTA: City-owned market operator PD Pasar Jaya is beefing up security at 151 markets across the capital. The company will also request the assigning of additional personnel from the Jakarta Police and the Jakarta Military Command.

PD Pasar Jaya director Prabowo Soenirman said that some markets would get special security measures depending on their characteristics.

"PD Pasar Jaya will start using metal detectors, but only in certain markets like Glodok, which concentrates on selling electronic equipment. For other markets like Tanah Abang, which mostly offer textiles, and the Kramat Jati wholesale market, increasing the use of metal detectors would be pointless," he said.

Prabowo mentioned financial constraints as another factor limiting the use of metal detectors.

"Imagine how much we would have to spend to provide the equipment in all 151 markets," he said as quoted by Beritajakarta.com.

He also said that big markets like Glodok, Senen and Tanah Abang would get around 50 additional personnel. -- JP