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orget Ngurah Rai airport or Gilimanuk and Padang Bai harbors, any terrorist or criminal trying to get into Bali will not be using these official gateways to the island for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit later this year as packs of police and army personnel will likely encircle the international meeting’s venue at Nusa Dua resort.

Unguarded traditional fishing ports and Bali’s long coastline may be the best entrances for any individual or group planning to create security disturbances on the island during important events.

IB Surakusuma, chairman of the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Congress and Convention Association (INCCA), expressed his concern over the lack of security along the island’s coast.

“Security along our coastline must be strengthened as Bali has always been a soft target for security disturbances. Bali, a venue for various world-scale events, must convince its distinguished guests that the island is safe and secure,” said Surakusuma.

Bali has a 437-kilometer long shoreline. A number of minor ports, including Celukan Bawang in Buleleng and Tanah Ampo cruise port in Karangasem, are considered vulnerable from a security point of view.

People living in fishing villages and coastal areas must also ensure the safety of their locations and check that they are free from any possible intrusions by outsiders.

“All stakeholders in the communities must work together to secure their locations since the number of police and security personnel is inadequate to safeguard the entire island,” added Surakusuma.

Sidharta Putra, chairman of the Denpasar chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI), said that he would invite local villagers and pecalang desa (traditional village security guards) and pecalang laut (traditional coastguards) to safeguard Sanur and its beaches.

In addition to Nusa Dua, Sanur, Jimbaran, Kuta and Benoa will also host APEC events.

It was reported that 21 heads of state, as well as hundreds of high-ranking diplomats and officials, would attend the APEC Summit.

“All hotels and villas in Sanur must tighten and improve their security equipment,” Sidharta said.

PHRI Bali has called on its members, especially those which are to house the APEC delegations, to abide by security regulations set by the government.

The provincial administration and the police have already started a series of joint exercises to improve security measures during the APEC meeting.

Security will also be tightened for Bali’s waters and skies. “The Air Force will be ready to secure the island,” said Air Force Air Chief Marshall Ida Bagus Putu Dunia
during his recent visit to Bali.

Bali Police chief Insp. Gen. Arif Wachyunadi also confirmed the readiness of his personnel to safeguard the island.

“We have already started securing the island a few months ago leading up to the conference later,” he said.

Additional personnel from police headquarters in Jakarta and members of the Army would be on board, he said.