Terror fight must include everyone, Sultan says

Sri Wahyuni and Haidir Anwar Tanjung, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta/Pekanbaru

Yogyakarta Governor Sultan Hamengkubuwono X said on Monday that empowering people with security training would be the best way to deal with terrorism.

In an address to provincial officials, councillors and security officers attending a coordination meeting, Hamengkubuwono acknowledged the pivotal role of the ordinary person in combating terrorism due to the limited strength of security personnel.

"Bali-like incidents can happen anywhere in the country. Therefore, it's important for us to protect the community as well as to empower them so that they will be able to protect themselves," the governor said.

"It's now time to develop a system to detect any changes in the community that may lead to a trend of incidents in this province."

The meeting, attended by 500 people, including district heads, was held in response to the Bali bombings that killed nearly 200 people, mostly foreigners.

Also present were Yogyakarta Police chief Brig. Gen. Y. Wahyu Saronto and Commander of the 072/Pamungkas Military Resort overseeing Yogyakarta, Col. Suwarno.

Saronto shared Hamengkubuwono's opinion on the importance of networking among the local government, security forces and the community.

"In China, security forces can even hear a needle falling. Why? Because they set up a tight-knit network that involves people in the lowest administrative levels," he said.

Calling the present security condition in Yogyakarta abnormal and resembling the situation in the 1980s when terrorist acts were rampant in the province, Col. Suwarno said it was better to spend energy on prevention rather than the cure.

He therefore call all elements in the community to reinstate traditional communication means and night patrols in the wake of the terrorist threats.

Bomb threats targeting shopping malls and hotels have become more frequent in the province lately, but have so far proven to be hoaxes. Police say the perpetrators of the threats call from telephone booths.

"That's why we have also increased cooperation with Telkom to anticipate bomb threats," Saronto said, referring to the state telecommunications company.

Meanwhile, Riau began to feel the effects of the Bali bombing as a delegation of French investors postponed their visit to Pekanbaru for talks on a railway project in the oil-rich province.

Head of the Riau Promotion and Investment Office, Herliyan Saleh, said on Monday that businesspeople were scheduled to begin a survey of the location of the project on Sunday.

He said the French Embassy had written to the provincial administration to request a delay to the trip.

"We understand that the delay was related to the incident in Bali. They were afraid of a repeat of the tragedy, although it doesn't mean that they have canceled the project," he said.

Herliyan said a group of Chinese investors had earlier indefinitely delayed a visit to sign a cooperation on infrastructure development due to the bomb attacks in Bali.