Indonesia on high alert ahead of Saudi king’s visit

By Ainur Rohmah

TUBAN, Indonesia (AA) - Indonesian police are on high alert ahead of a nine-day visit by Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Comr. Gen. Syafruddin, national police deputy chief, said Monday that the force has “already prepared around 10,000 personnel to secure the three cities where he will visit."

The king, who is currently in Malaysia, is set to be accompanied by a 1,500-strong entourage -- including 10 ministers and 25 princes -- during his March 1-3 official visit and March 4-9 vacation on the resort island of Bali.

Syafruddin, who like many Indonesians uses one name, said around 2,000 personnel will be deployed in Jakarta as well as West Java’s Bogor City, where Salman and Indonesian President Joko Widodo will hold diplomatic meetings.

"The security in Bali [will be] greater because the delegation is large enough, at least 5,000 personnel will be deployed," Syafruddin was quoted as saying by kompas.com.

The delegation -- traveling on six Boeing and two Hercules aircraft -- is due to arrive in Jakarta on Wednesday, where they will be greeted by Widodo.

King Salman is scheduled to deliver a speech in Parliament, visit the Istiqlal Mosque -- the biggest mosque in Southeast Asia -- and meet Saudi Arabian businessman.

Lukman Hakim Syaifuddin, minister of religious affairs, underlined the importance of the visit -- the first by a king from Saudi Arabia since 1970.

"The visit is something we should be grateful for. This is a form of appreciation to Indonesia for a long-time relationship," he was as quoted as saying by detik.com.

Jakarta expects to sign some agreements with the Gulf kingdom during the meeting, including those related to increasing Indonesia’s quota for the Hajj pilgrimage and cooperating in countering radicalism.

Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country, hopes the visit will draw in Saudi investments worth up to $25 billion.