Nine Thousand Personnel To Secure Lunar New Year

Jakarta, Jan 30 (Antara) - More than nine thousand personnel are on standby and will be deployed to ensure safety and security during the Lunar Chinese New Year celebrations, stated Chief of Indonesian Police General Sutarman. "In total, over nine thousand personnel will be deployed. As many as three thousand personnel in Jakarta will be on standby at the Police Headquarters," claimed Sutarman at the Presidential Office, Jakarta, on Thursday. The 2565 Lunar Chinese New Year, which will fall on Friday (Jan. 31), has been declared as a national holiday. According to Sutarman, police personnel will be deployed at various venues where the festivities to mark the Lunar New Year will be organized. In addition to places of worship, such as temples and monasteries, security arrangements will also be tightened in recreational areas that usually get crowded during the holidays. Sutarman pointed out that as of now, no terror threats have been reported in the days leading to the Lunar Chinese New Year. But, he cautioned everyone to boost vigilance as the threat of terrorism hangs heavy over the nation. "Until now, there have been no terrorist threats. But, their cells are still live and flourishing. Hence, we need to beef up our vigilance to secure all public places," he remarked.