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Jakarta Police map vulnerable areas ahead of election
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Hundreds of Islam Defenders Front (FPI) members stage a rally in front of the National Police headquarters in South Jakarta on Jan.16. A group of people plan to hold mass prayers and monitor polling stations on election day on Feb. 15. (Antara/Reno Esnir)
(Antara/Reno Esnir)
The Jakarta police have mapped out some areas around the capital considered prone to conflict on election day on Feb. 15.
“We have gathered data related to the vulnerable areas. Now, each precinct police station [polres] head is updating that data. We may add more personnel to secure areas deemed vulnerable based on the gathered information,” Jakarta police spokesman Sr. Comr. Raden Prabowo Argo Yuwono said at the General Elections Commission (KPU) office on Tuesday
The mapping is expected to be finished by Friday.
The vulnerable areas, Argo said, include polling stations close to places of worship and the residences of all three candidate pairs.
Thousands of police personnel will be ready to secure those spots, as well as other polling stations in the capital.
The police have also expressed hopes that no unauthorized groups would attempt to monitor polling stations on voting day.
(Read also: Public warned of mass actions on Feb 11, 12, 15)
Jakarta police chief Insp. Gen. Mochammad Iriawan earlier said that on Feb. 15, a group of people planned to hold morning prayers at Istiqlal Mosque and several mushollas (small mosques) before heading to polling stations to monitor voting activities.
“It won’t be a problem if the residents only want to perform morning prayers. However, each polling station will be monitored by the Community Protection Agency (Linmas), police and witnesses. The police will also be on patrol at some polling stations. Therefore, those people don’t need to do any monitoring,” Argo said.
