Security at city-owned markets dismal

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The city administration admitted on Monday that its own markets, totaling 151 modern and traditional markets, were not well secured due to the lack of security equipment and their open access.

"It is impossible to impose a security system in the markets as most of them have too many entrances," said president director of market operator PD Pasar Jaya Prabowo Soenirman when asked about his company's readiness to comply with standard security systems.

Prabowo argued that his firm could not install security equipment, such as closed-circuit television, due to the lack of security guards to prevent the equipment from being stolen.

He said other security equipment, such as metal detectors, were also ineffective to check vehicles entering markets as nearly all the vehicles were packed with commodities like vegetables, rice, potatoes, fruit and coconuts.

"How could we detect a bomb if it is placed under all those commodities," said Prabowo when attending the launch of antiterror booklet at Plaza Senayan on Monday.

Earlier, Governor Sutiyoso had urged the management of public places to apply standard security systems and to improve security measures by using metal detectors.

The governor threatened to close supermarkets, shopping malls, private offices, government offices, hotels, hospitals and other commercial places that did not use standard security equipment.

His statement was made following a bomb blast at JW Marriott Hotel in Kuningan area, South Jakarta on Aug. 5 which killed 12 people and injured 147 others.

On Monday, Sutiyoso received reports from the city's five mayors who were asked to check the level of preparedness of public places in implementing standard security measures.

He claimed that only a few of those places had not yet met the required standards.

He also pledged, not just to take the word of the mayors, but to make spot inspections at several public places in the city.

Sutiyoso said that he would still give time for the managements of public places to install the equipment as many have argued that they had ordered the security equipment but it was out of stock.

Most shopping malls and hotels had reportedly installed standard security equipment.

Central Jakarta Mayor Hosea Petra Lumbun said state owned Wisata International Hotel on Jl. Kebon Kacang, Central Jakarta was the only place which had not properly implemented the required security standards.

"But it does not mean that the hotel has no security system. It has, but it is not adequate," Petra added.

Meanwhile, Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara admitted that the city administration did not have a standard security system for public buildings and places.

Makbul revealed said that the police were now preparing the system, saying that they were still collecting inputs from various parties including intelligence organizations, the administration, experts and public figures.

"The inputs are needed to enrich the content of the book on standard security systems (to be given to the managements of buildings and malls etc.)," he added.

He did not mention when the book would be launched.