Wiranto warns of rising threat

Wiranto warns of rising threat

JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto told
the 1,600-strong Presidential Security Guard (Paspampres) on
Wednesday to step up security around the President and visiting
foreign leaders.

Wiranto, who is also minister of defense and security, said
the country was facing a rising threat "due to dynamics" in the
country. He did not elaborate.

"It is not impossible there are also threats posed to state
symbols such as the President and the State Palace," Wiranto said
during a ceremony to appoint a new commander to head the guard at
its headquarters on Jl. Tanah Abang II in Central Jakarta.

The general presided over the ceremony during which Maj. Gen.
Endriartono Sutarto handed over duties to his deputy, Maj. Gen.
Suwandi.

Sutarto had held the position since June 1997. He replaced Lt.
Gen. Sugiono, who is currently the Army's deputy chief.

Sutarto will move on to become Operational Assistant to ABRI's
Chief of General Affairs Lt. Gen. Fachrul Razi.

Wiranto is himself very familiar with the operations of the
Guard, having been posted there from 1989 to 1993 while he served
as former president Soeharto's adjutant.

The elite command was previously divided into three groups.
However, the 540-strong Group A was dissolved in August after its
obligation to protect Soeharto came to an end.

Group B, which was initially assigned to safeguard Habibie
while he was vice president, have continued to guard their ward
since he acceded to the presidency in May.

"It's only natural that the President wants to be protected by
officers with whom he is familiar," a palace official said on
Sutarto's replacement.

Sutarto is known for his intellectual capacity. His successor
Suwandi is also known as an intelligent and hard working general.

Group C of the guard is deployed to protect visiting foreign
leaders. The command consists of troops from a number of units
including the Military Police, the Army's Special Force, the
Marines and the Strategic Reserves Command.

Unlike Soeharto, Habibie appears to be much more relaxed about
personal security.

He often chats with his guards and offers them food.

The atmosphere at the Palace is now also more relaxed and the
guards look less suspicious than before, although they always
remain wary. "Pak Habibie always tells us not to be too tense,"
one guard recently said. (prb)