Jokowi Meets MPR Leaders to Talk Details of Sunday's Inauguration
Jakarta. Just days before his second term inauguration in Jakarta on Oct. 20, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo met leaders of the People's Consultative Assembly, or MPR, on Wednesday to discuss details of the ceremony, including a significant beefing up of security in the capital.
Police have confirmed they will not issue permits for demonstrations in Jakarta from Oct. 15 until the inauguration and that more than 30,000 security officers will be deployed to keep the event safe.
"We will not issue permits for demonstrations between Oct. 15 and 20," Jakarta Police spokesman Chief Comr. Argo Yuwono said on Tuesday.
Police hope people will refrain from demonstrating on the street on the aforementioned days. Large protests in several cities across Indonesia, including Jakarta, at the end of September had turned into isolated riots.
"[Riots like those] would harm Indonesia's reputation. Every one of us should do our bit to keep the [inauguration] ceremony safe," Argo said.
A total of 31,000 police officers and soldiers will secure Sunday's event, which will be attended by foreign leaders.
Jakarta Police alone will send 3,020 personnel out on the street to keep traffic clean on the day, traffic unit head Dep. Comr. Muhammad Nasir said on Wednesday.
Last week, Chief Security Minister Wiranto was stabbed by a member of Islamic State-affiliated militant group Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) in Banten.
Following the incident, police counter-terror squad Detachment 88 has been cracking down on the group, arresting at least 36 of its members across the country.
Jokowi Consults MPR Leaders
Jokowi on Wednesday met the speaker and deputy speaker of the MPR at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta to talk details of the inauguration ceremony.
"The president consulted us for the inauguration, to match schedules and sort out technical matters. We want it to be a grand and successful event," deputy speaker Zulkifli Hasan said after the meeting.
"Five years ago, there were doubts that the [first] inauguration would be a success, but it was. Now after five years, it should be even more successful," he said.
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