The deployment of security apparatus to protect the KPU building will be done two days prior to its announcement of the official results of the recent parliamentary and presidential elections, the National Police spokesman, Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo informed journalists here on Monday.
The mass deployment of personnel is a precautionary measure against attacks by terrorists looking to utilize the opportune moment of the KPU's official announcement on the election results, as the police had received information of the planned attacks, he explained.
"There are indications of terrorists possibly launching their attacks when masses throng the KPU building. We should take precautionary measures to thwart such acts optimally," he emphasized.
Prasetyo noted that the stationed security personnel will also protect the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) building and several national vital objects, adding that four security rings will be applied around and near the KPU building's neighborhood areas.
The first security ring will lie inside the KPU building, while the second security ring will encompass the area around the commission's building, the third security ring will be located at the KPU building's yard, and the fourth security ring will be centered on the roads around the KPU building, he stated.
In accordance with the standard operating procedures, the Cyber Crime Unit of the National Police's Criminal Investigation Department has worked with the Communication and Informatics Ministry and the Cyber Body and National Encryption Agency (BSSN) to oversee the contents of social media platforms.
On Apr 17, over 80 percent of the 192 million eligible voters across Indonesia had cast their ballots to elect representatives in the House of Representatives (DPR), Regional Representatives Council (DPD), as well as provincial and district/city legislative bodies.
The people also exercised their franchise for their chosen presidential and vice presidential candidate pair at over 800 thousand polling stations across the archipelagic nation.
An exit poll conducted by the Prabowo-Sandi pair camp indicated them to have won 55.4 percent of the votes, Coordinator of the pair's National Winning Body's spokespersons Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak pointed out.
Simultaneously, quick count results extracted from several pollsters broadcast live by several television stations showed a steady lead for the Joko Widodo-Ma'ruf Amin pair, surpassing the Prabowo-Sandi pair.
Both camps are currently looking forward to the KPU's real count, as the final result is legally binding.
EDITED BY INE
Translator: Anita Permata Dewi, Rahmad
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
