Indonesia readies 141,605 security personnel for year-end holidays

Denpasar (ANTARA) - A total of 141,605 security personnel, comprising soldiers, police officers, and officials from other stakeholders, have been prepared to maintain security during the Christmas and New Year holidays, National Police Chief General Listyo Prabowo stated.

"The Indonesian National Police will carry out Operation Lilin (Candle) for 13 days from December 21 to January 2, 2025, by involving 141,605 joint personnel from the police, national armed forces, and other stakeholders," he remarked in Denpasar, Bali Province, on Friday.

Speaking while presiding over a roll call for Operation Lilin at the Niti Mandala Field, he noted that the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) had decided to deploy 80,856 soldiers for the year-end security operation.

In the company of TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto, he revealed that the large number of joint personnel would be stationed at 2,794 posts in total, including 1,852 security posts, 735 service posts, and 207 integrated posts.

He further highlighted that the security officers would be tasked with overseeing the situation at 61,452 places, including churches, trade centers, bus terminals, train stations, ports, airports, tourism objects, and venues of New Year celebrations.

"The Christmas and New Year security operation will entail a variety of activities, from managing homecoming traffic flows to securing venues of Christmas services and New Year celebrations," he remarked.

The police chief then highlighted that his side and the TNI had also readied special joint forces to anticipate potential disasters during the year-end holiday period, with some 2,200 personnel stationed in Bali.

"Bali has been known as one of the magnets (drawing) domestic and international tourists in search of a tourism destination during the year-end holidays," he stated.