Sutarman said in a statement read out by acting Riau Governor Djohermansyah Djohan in Pekanbaru, Riau Islands, on Sunday, that security operations during this year's festive holidays would be carried out in two zones.

In a special annual operation code-named Operasi Lilin Jaya (Jakarta Candle Operation), Sutarman said the police would take security measures in 14 main operation areas that included Jakarta, East Java, North Sumatra and several provinces in Kalimantan and Sulawesi.

'There are areas that will be included in the second priority areas, covering 17 provinces,' he said as quoted by Antara news agency. These include Lampung, Riau, and several regions in Java, Kalimantan and Sulawesi.

The police are set to deploy 92,000 personnel to secure the Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations across the country.

'Christmas security this year will be supported by 16,982 personnel from the Indonesian Military (TNI),' said Sutarman.

Additional support will be provided by 35,473 personnel from relevant institutions, such as from the Transportation Ministry, local administrations and components of society.

'Thus, the number of joint forces to be deployed in the Jakarta Candle Operation will amount to 144,464,' said Sutarman.

He further said the joint personnel would be deployed to 1,962 security posts and 602 service posts that had been prepared in several Christmas and New Year's Eve celebration locations across provinces.

The police have also prepared for other potential security and public order threats during the festive holidays, including terrorism. (ebf)

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