Indonesian authorities have beefed up security ahead of the inauguration ceremony of President Joko Widodo and his vice president-elect Ma’ruf Amin tomorrow, an official said yesterday.
Military chief General Hadi Tjahjanto said 30,000 personnel from the military and police have been conducting a simulation to prevent any security breaches during the ceremony.
At least six heads of state and government from neighbouring countries are scheduled to
attend the oath-taking ceremony.
Other countries are also sending representatives to attend the event at Jakarta’s
parliament building.
Police have barred students from staging rallies this week.
The students demand the president issue a government regulation to replace a new
anti-graft law.
Protesters say the law is in fact hampering the fight against corruption, which is endemic in the South-East Asian country.
At least 36 terror suspects with alliance to an IS-affiliated militant group, Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) were also arrested this week, police said.
The crackdown came after Security Minister Wiranto was stabbed in the abdomen by a man with ties to JAD on
October 10.
Indonesia scrambled to tighten its anti-terrorism laws after a series of suicide bombings linked to the JAD group killed more than 30 people in the city of Surabaya last year.
The former general, who only goes by one name, had to
undergo surgery.
Widodo was re-elected as president for another five-year term in a divisive election in April.
Armoured vehicles are stationed inside the parliament complex ahead of the presidential inauguration, in Jakarta yesterday.
