Police close Jakarta street as more protesters gather
Hasyim Widhiarto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 03/03/2010 2:06 PM
As the number of protesters around the House of Representatives building continues to increase, the Jakarta Police have closed Jl. Gatot Subroto and directed road users to enter the adjacent toll road or to take another route.
As of 1:30 p.m., thousands of people have crowded the street in front of the House building forming two opposing groups, one supporting and the other against the report of the House committee investigating the Bank Century bailout that says the bank was saved because of vested interests.
To prevent a clash, the Jakarta Police has deployed lines of police officers as a barrier to separate the two groups.
The government, through the Deposit Insurance Corporation, has spent Rp 6.76 trillion (US$716 million), about 10 times its original estimate, to save Bank Century.
The House's Century bailout inquiry committee announced its final conclusions on its investigation into the case on Tuesday. The House is expected to deliver the legislative body's position on the case on Wednesday.
