More Than 8,100 Security Personnel to Safeguard Opening of 2018 Asian Games
Jakarta. More than 8,100 members of the police and military are expected to be deployed to safeguard the opening ceremony of 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta on Saturday evening (18/08).
"Especially for the opening of the Asian Games, we will pay extra attention to security by deploying 8,107 members of the National Police, Indonesian Military [TNI] and Jakarta Municipal Police [Satpol PP]," National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said, as quoted by state-run news agency Antara.
Police have diverted traffic near Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Central Jakarta, ahead of the opening ceremony at 7 p.m.
The Indonesia Asian Games Organizing Committee (Inasgoc) has invited 30,000 guests to the opening ceremony, which will be led by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon and Asian Olympic Council president Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Sabah.
Athletes from 45 countries will compete in Asia's largest sporting event.
Tito said in July that 40,000 security personnel would be deployed to secure this year's Asian Games, hosted by Jakarta and Palembang, South Sumatra, between Aug. 18 and Sept. 2. At the time, he said terrorism was one of top security concerns.
Among other security concerns is the unauthorized use of drones during the opening ceremony.
Police have installed more than 300 closed-circuit-television cameras to secure the event.
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