Bali Police To Deploy 8,700 Personnel On Polling Day

Denpasar (Antara Bali) - The Bali provincial police will deploy 8.7 thousand personnel to safeguard the implementation of the presidential election on July 9, 2014.

"We will deploy two-third of the 13 thousand total forces. The rest of the forces are on reserve and must always be on standby," Bali Police Chief Inspector General Albertus Julius Benny Mokalu noted here on Monday.

The police personnel will secure 5,939 polling stations on the island.

Mokalu stated that ideally, each polling station will be guarded by at least one policeman and civilian security officers.

"It will prevent any potential violation during the election. If we are ready and on alert, anyone wanting to disturb the security will be deterred," he emphasized.

The police will also safeguard tourist spots, the election supervisory office, and the local General Elections Committee`s (KPU`s) office.

In general, the security condition in Bali prior to the election was sound, Mokalu claimed.

Indonesia will conduct a democratic presidential election on July 9, 2014, which will be contested by two pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates: Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa and Jokowi-Jusuf Kalla (JK).

Prabowo Subianto is a retired military general and the founder of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), while his running mate, Hatta Rajasa, is a former coordinating minister for economic affairs and the chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN).

Jokowi is Jakarta`s governor and a cadre of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), while his running mate, JK, is a former vice president and a senior politician of the Golkar Party.

The Prabowo-Hatta pair is supported by Gerindra, PAN, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the United Development Party (PPP), the Crescent and Star Party (PBB), the Golkar Party, and the Democrat Party.

The Jokowi-JK pair is supported by five political parties: PDIP, the Nation Awakening Party (PKB), the People`s Conscience Party (Hanura), the Justice and Indonesian Unity Party (PKPI), and the National Democrat Party (Nasdem). (WDY)