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)