LABUAN BAJO: Indonesia deployed 12,627 military and police personnel to maintain maximum security during the 42nd ASEAN Summit, which began on Monday (May 8) until Thursday (May 11).
According to Admiral Yudo Margono, commander of the Indonesian Army, the National Search and Rescue Agency, the National Intelligence Agency, and the National Cyber and Security Agency are all part of the security coalition.
In a statement, he said that logistical personnel, tools, and resources, including seven warships, were stationed at key strategic places to carry out thorough inspections, particularly close to the lodgings of leaders and heads of state who would be arriving tomorrow.
Members are tasked with patrolling on motorbikes to ensure the smooth movement of vehicles and some sections continue to be controlled by the traffic police to prevent road users from encroaching on restricted areas, he said.
Labuan Bajo is a small town with a population of 6,973 people in West Manggarai city, Flores archipelago in East Nusa Tenggara province.
The Summit began with the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) which discussed a number of matters including Indonesia’s priority as ASEAN Chairman in 2023, in addition to a series of meetings at the level of Foreign Ministers and the 42nd ASEAN Summit.
Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin, secretary general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented Malaysia at the SOM conference. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Zambry Abdul Kadir will arrive this afternoon, while Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to visit in Labuan Bajo on Tuesday (May 9).
A total of eight heads of government from the 10 ASEAN member states will participate in the conference except from Myanmar, which was not invited, and Thailand, which faces elections on May 14. -Bernama