Security is going to be heightened in Jakarta for Sunday’s inauguration of President Joko Widodo and Vice President-elect Ma’ruf Amin, particularly in light of last week’s attack on chief security minister Wiranto.
President Jokowi and Vice President-elect Ma’ruf Amin are scheduled to be sworn in at 2:30pm this coming Sunday at the House of Parliament in Central Jakarta. The event will be attended by numerous high-profile politicians, including Jokowi’s presidential challenger Prabowo Subianto, as well as delegates from allied states.
According to National Police Spokesman Dedi Prasetyo, thousands of police and military personnel are going to secure the House of Parliament building, the Presidential Palace, Jokowi and Ma’ruf’s residences and routes that they are expected to take to the inauguration.
“God willing, 30,000 military and police personnel will secure all procession in the inauguration of the president and vice president,” he said at a press conference at the National Police HQ yesterday.
Police have arrested 27 suspected militants following last Thursday’s knife attack on chief security minister Wiranto. Dedi said they had plans to attack houses of worship and police stations in major Indonesian cities, but not Jokowi’s inauguration.
“From the analysis of Densus 88 (anti-terrorism squad) and interrogation of the suspects, we have not found evidence for attempts to carry out amaliyah or terrorist attacks during the presidential and vice presidential inauguration,” he said.
Amaliyah is a term jihadists use to refer to field action.
Jokowi is set to serve his second five-year term as president, with Vice President-elect Ma’ruf Amin set to replace Vice President Jusuf Kalla.
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