Bali Security gets tightened again

Tourists visiting Bali often worry about security, especially after the Oct 2005 bombing. Many restaurants (Ku De Ta), hotels and shops (Bintang) have security staff with metal detectors and mirrors on sticks. All that creates an appearance of security, but is it real security?

Everyone knows that the next possible bomb will be carried by someone from Java, who comes across on the ferry and either walks into a crowded place or drives a car outside a place. What we really need are 2 things: 1) the old Intel system, where every village has informants, to get an early waring on possible trouble, and 2) Very tight security on the sea ports so nobody can drive across with a loaded SUV. I mean they need to see ID’s, use sniffer dogs and really be on op of it.

Bali’s new Chief of Police, Inspector General Sunarko Ardanto was on a joint mission to Perth with the Bali Government Tourist Office. They wanted to talk about and learn about security, hoping to convince people to come back. I reckon they should get some Israeli security experts, those guys have been at it for years, dealing with this kind of stuff.

The recently launched Bali Security Council, hopes to unite the various branches of law enforcement and the millitary is a concerted effort to tighten security. I mentions the new police hot line the other day. Closed-circuit TV cameras could be added in high density places and police given greater powers of search.