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Military given authority to secure vital transportation hubs
Jakarta Post - February 21, 2015
Under the agreement, signed by Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan and TNI chief Gen. Moeldoko at the TNI headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, the military could deploy personnel and weapons to secure the vital transportation hubs.
"As a matter of fact, the military has secured our vital installations for quite some time; this agreement is the formalization of the military assistance," Jonan said, adding that the ministry had also signed a similar agreement with the National Police.
Jonan said that the security protection was needed to protect the assets, which, if left unguarded, could cause instability. "There are many threats toward the activities of vital installations. We are thankful for the support from the military," he said.
When pressed about what kind of threats could disrupt transportation services, however, Jonan said that the threats were of low intensity.
Under the agreement, military personnel would be deployed especially to vital transportation hubs in border regions, as well as to disaster-prone and remote areas. Moeldoko said that the MoU was consistent with what had been ordered by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.
He said that the agreement was part of the TNI's contribution to the program for accelerating national development. "We have concluded several agreements with other ministries as well," Moeldoko said.
Moeldoko said it would be incumbent on the TNI to respond to military threats to vital installations.
As for non-military threats, Moeldoko said that the relevant ministries would handle them. "We will back up the effort," he said.
Earlier, Moeldoko said the military had agreed to deploy 1,000 personnel to help the Transportation Ministry secure key facilities.
The military personnel will help the Transportation Ministry provide security in ports, airports and other important locations under the supervision of the ministry.
Following the deployment of the 1,000 personnel in the first phase, the military would add another 1,000 personnel in the next stage.
Moeldoko said the deployment of the personnel would not compromise the TNI's overall capability as most of the soldiers involved in the program were ones approaching their retirement.
"The personnel to be dispatched for the program are those who are about to retire. This is also part of our retirement preparation program," Moeldoko said.
Jonan declined to give details on the budget needed for the operation, saying state-owned enterprises under the transportation ministries would foot the bill.
Currently, the country has 1,246 seaports, 237 airports and 579 railway stations. The ministry is planning to construct an additional 100 ports, 49 airports and 120 railway stations within the next five years.
Under Jonan's leadership, the Transportation Ministry inaugurated 20 ports and 10 airports in regions across Indonesia last year.
The ministry plans to keep developing infrastructure for air, sea and land transportation, including railways, to boost economic development in the country.
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