T

he Jakarta administration has deployed hundreds of security personnel to ensure the area surrounding an Asian Games venue in Pulomas, East Jakarta, is free of vendors selling cattle ahead of Idul Adha (Islamic Day of Sacrifice).

Pulomas is where the Games’ equestrian venue is situated, and the administration has promised that the area around it will be free of anyone selling animals for slaughter.

“Last year, there were numerous livestock vendors around here,” said Jamaludin, a resident of Jl. Pulo Mas II on Tuesday as quoted by tempo.co. “This year, they’re not allowed to run their business within a 3-kilometer radius of the venue.”

Some officers from the East Jakarta Public Order Agency were spotted patrolling the area on Tuesday.

“We’ve deployed 250 officers to safeguard East Jakarta only,” said Jakarta Public Order Agency head Yani Wahyu Purwoko, adding that the officers would also patrol the Jakarta International BMX Track area nearby and the Jakarta International Velodrome in Rawamangun.

An official from the East Jakarta Fisheries, Agriculture and Food Security (KPKP), Irma Budiany, said the prohibition was aimed at preventing the spread of anthrax among horses competing in the Asian Games.

She claimed the agency had introduced the policy for residents in East Jakarta on April 13 and July 11. Mosques in six subdistricts are also prohibited from carrying out slaughtering activities during Idul Adha. The agency suggested they slaughter the sacrificial animals in the city’s slaughterhouses, where they could do so free of charge.