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senior-ranking police officer has urged hotel managers to participate in a safety and security certification process to improve their ability to deal with potential threats, including terrorist attacks.

"We urge the hotels, which haven't yet undergone this process to immediately arrange their participation. It is an important measure needed to anticipate any threat of terrorism," Bali Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. I Gde Sugianyar said over the weekend.

The safety and security certification process was initiated in 2004, following deadly terrorist attacks on nightclubs in Kuta in 2002, which killed more than 200 people, mostly foreign tourists.

The initiative was launched by the then Bali Police chief, Insp. Gen. Made Mangku Pastika, who rose to prominence after leading the multinational investigation team that apprehended the bombers to become the governor of Bali.

As of early 2009, only 467 hotels had been certified.

There are at least 150 starred and a thousand non-starred hotels in Bali, according to the Bali Tourism Agency.

"On September 30, we will issue another 61 safety and security certificates for the hotels that have just completed the certification process," Sugianyar added.

The certificates are valid for two years, after which time hotels are obliged to undergo another review process.

During the safety and security certification process, a team of experts from the Bali Police will thoroughly inspect the hotels and review their security measures and emergency preparedness.

To obtain certification a hotel is required to have one security officer for every ten rooms, a CCTV unit on each floor, a metal detector at each entry point, alarm units at emergency exits and one fully-operational ambulance vehicle.

Hotels are also required to provide the police with a blueprint of their building.

Pastika said blueprints were a critical factor for any emergency operation.

"Having a blueprint in advance means that we can send our counterterrorism unit into that hotel with full confidence that it will not get itself trapped at a dead-end," he said.

The whole certification process is funded by the Bali Police and no cost will be imposed on the hotels.

"The hotels don't have to worry about the cost because we shoulder all the cost. This year, we have allocated Rp 180 million (US$18,000) to fund the certification process," Sugianyar said.

He stressed that hotels which have undergone the certification process will look more attractive to potential customers.

"The hotels could use this certificate as a promotional or marketing tool to prove to their customers that they have met the required safety and security standards," he added.

Secretary of the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Hotels and Restaurants Association (PHRI) Perry Markus said the certification process was a positive breakthrough.

"I admit that there are a significant number of hotels, non-star ones in particular, which have yet to undergo the process," he said.