VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

National Police Chief General Idham Azis instructed the Heads of Police Regional Units (Kasatwil) to enforce health protocols strictly, dispel crowds, and adopt a neutral approach during local elections or else be sanctioned.

The general gave instructions while leading a roll call in which the attendees comprised provincial, district, and municipality police chiefs across Indonesia, at the Police Headquarters, here on Wednesday, Prabowo Argo Yuwono, spokesman of the National Police, remarked.

"The handling of COVID-19 should be firm and without hesitation. If there is a crowd, disperse it. Beyond a doubt, the Regional police chiefs must enforce health protocols along with the TNI (Indonesian military), Satpol PP (civilian legal enforcers), and community leaders," Yuwono stated.

Regional police chiefs are also ordered to maintain security and stay neutral during the implementation of the 2020 simultaneous regional head elections (Pilkada).

The National police chief will not waver from imposing disciplinary sanctions in the event of these instructions not being implemented.

"If a member of the Police were to commit an offense, the Chief of Police would warn via STR (telegram), vidcon, or direct directives that he/she will be dealt with firmly based on the violations committed on the field," he stated.

Furthermore, the National Police Chief has allowed the public to hold rallies in connection with the Job Creation Law. However, the local police are instructed to take firm action immediately if the demonstration took an anarchist turn.

Meanwhile, ahead of Christmas 2020 and New Year 2021, the National Police will hold a special centralized Police operation code-named "Operasi Lilin" from Dec 23, 2020, to Jan 4, 2021.

"Some 191,582 personnel are involved in the Candle Operation security, and 4,216 service posts and security posts have been readied. For these activities, we prioritize sympathetic activities and no repressive action," Yuwono remarked.

A total of 34 provincial police chiefs and 493 district and municipal police chiefs attended the 2020 roll call that followed health protocols against COVID-19.

The National police chief recently replaced the Jakarta, West Java, Central Jakarta and Bogor police chiefs following crowds of people during an inauguration of a mosque and maulid (the birth of the Prophet Muhammad commemoration) as well as the wedding of the daughter of Rizieq Shihab respectively in Bogor and Jakarta. (Antaranews)