LAKSAMANA.Net, July 26, 2004 07:17 PM
President Orders Police to Solve KPU Blast
Laksamana.Net - President Megawati Sukarnoputri has ordered National Police chief
General Dai Bachtiar to apprehend the perpetrators of Monday's (26/7/04) minor
explosion at the Jakarta headquarters of the General Elections Commission (KPU).
"In our limited meeting, the president instructed police find the perpetrators to prevent
this from happening again," Bachtiar was quoted as saying by detikcom online news
portal.
The blast occurred at 1.05pm inside the women's toilets on the ground floor of the
building on Jalan Imam Bonjol, shortly before the KPU was due to have announced
the final results of the July 5 presidential election.
The low explosive device, contained in a small cardboard box, caused only minor
damage and no injuries, but prompted police to evacuate the four-story building for
several hours.
KPU officials had almost completed their manual count of district vote tallies from the
nation's 32 provinces when the explosion took place. Counting resumed at about 3pm
and the final results were due to be announced on Monday evening.
Bachtiar said the explosion was an "act of terrorism" aimed at disrupting the KPU
from its completing its tasks.
Even though the attack did not cause much damage, apart from blowing off a toilet
door and breaking some glass, police would evaluate and improve security at the KPU
building, he said.
Meanwhile, Jakarta Police spokesman Senior Commissioner Prasetyo told reporters
the explosive device could not be classified as a bomb because it lacked a detonator
or a trigger and had not been wrapped in any sort of shell.
He said a preliminary investigation indicated traces of potassium chlorate, sulfur and
nitrate at the scene of the blast. A cigarette butt was also found amid the debris of the
device.
Jakarta Police chief General Firman Gani confirmed the blast came from a low
explosive. "The damage was small so I think it came from a low explosive. All we can
say is, it was like a firecracker," he was quoted as saying by Reuters.
He confirmed rumors the KPU office had received a telephoned threat at 12.30pm,
about 35 minutes before the blast.
After the call, police were deployed to check all areas of the building. At 1pm an
officer identified as Joko Firmanto found the explosive device inside the women's
toilets. He immediately called the bomb squad but the explosion occurred before the
team arrived.
Vice President Hamzah Haz criticized police and intelligence services after the blast.
"We knew these days at the KPU would be critical so security should have been
increased," he said.
Haz said any parties upset by the results or the conduct of the presidential election
should file a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court.
Five candidates contested Indonesia's first ever direct presidential election: Megawati,
Haz, former security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, National Mandate Party
leader Amien Rais and former military chief Wiranto.
Provisional results show the winner is Yudhoyono, who now heads the Democrat
Party. Having failed to win more than 50% of the vote, he will meet second placed
contestant Megawati on September 20 for a run-off election.
Yudhoyono said the explosion at the KPU building was an effort to disrupt security in
the run-up to the second round.
He urged the police, military and intelligence services to anticipate and prevent further
possible attacks. "Steps in anticipation must be carried out in a thorough and serious
manner. Not only at the KPU office, but all over Indonesia," he said.
"Otherwise the KPU and other bodies involved in organizing the election process will
not feel safe. And if that happens their performance would be [negatively] influenced,"
he added.
Yudhoyono also said all government agencies and the security forces must have a
neutral stance in the September 20 election.
Opposition politician Eros Djarot of the Nationalist Bull Independence Party said the
explosion was a reflection of dissatisfaction with the KPU's performance.
"I had become increasingly concerned the KPU's attitude might provoke this sort of
incident… Because of the KPU's high level of arrogance, dishonesty and unfairness,
this incident happened," he said.
"Certainly I did not want this to happen. But the reality is that it did happen," he
added.
Djarot, a former Megawati advisor, had supported Amien Rais for the presidency.
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