Sutiyoso vows to crack down on firecrackers business

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso warned Jakartans on Monday that city security authorities would take stiff measures against anyone who makes, supplies, carries, sells or lights fireworks that explode.

"I have instructed today (Monday) the city's five mayors to work together in solving the matter.

"A joint team of city public order officials, police and military personnel will be deployed to carry out a series of operations in the city's markets to confiscate firecrackers and any other fireworks," Sutiyoso told the media.

Those found in possession of fireworks will be punished in accordance with the law, the governor added.

His warning was also stated in a gubernatorial instruction No. 347/1998 issued on Dec. 23.

Since the first few days of Ramadhan last week, traders offering a wide range of fireworks to passersby, particularly teenagers, have been abundant.

At the busy Blok M shopping area in South Jakarta and Tanah Abang market in Central Jakarta, for example, many fireworks traders put their merchandise in cartons so that they can easily escape from security officers with their wares.

Contacted by telephone on Monday, Central Jakarta Mayor Andi Subur Abdullah said he had long since proposed that the governor order all of the city mayoralties to work together in this matter.

"Confiscating fireworks in only one mayoralty won't work. Sellers can easily shift to other mayoralties and then run their businesses from there," Andi said.

"Now, hopefully the operation will work with the collaboration of other mayors and the joint security team," he said.

On Sunday, fireworks played a major role in igniting a clash between residents of Pengadegan subdistrict and residents of Rawajati subdistrict in Kalibata, South Jakarta.

No fatalities were reported but at least eight people were injured.

Other recent conflicts provoked by the use of fireworks include clashes between two warring youth groups in Bidaracina, East Jakarta, and between teenagers of Dasana Puri housing complex at Duri Kosambi and local youths in North Jakarta.

Five were injured and several houses and a tire store were damaged. (ylt)