Jakarta (Antara Bali) - National Police Chief General Badrodin Haiti has declared that Poso District in Central Sulawesi Province is safe and free from Santoso-led terror threats ahead of the simultaneous regional head elections (pilkada) scheduled on December 9.
"Poso is safe. They (alleged Santoso-led terror group members) are (hiding) in mountainous and forest areas," General Haiti stated here, Thursday.
So far, the police have not yet witnessed any suspected acts by the group that could disrupt the elections.
"Adequate security measures are in place. We have intensified security arrangements since yesterday, and they will be in place until the pilkada is over," he revealed.
The police chief is optimistic that the intensified security measures would be able to prevent any acts of terror from occurring in Poso.
Late this year, Indonesia will organize the first stage of pilkada, while the second stage will be held in 2017.
The government has planned to use an e-voting system in the simultaneous regional head elections in 2017 and in the legislative and presidential elections in 2019.
During the pilkada 2015, the people in 269 regions will, for the first time, be able to simultaneously and directly elect local regional heads.
This years pilkada will be held to elect nine governors and vice governors, 224 district heads and their deputies, and 36 mayors and their deputies.(WDY)
