Security Boost for Indonesian Ports

It is about time that Indonesia boosted its security at the various destination points around the country and particulary in Bali. This is badly needed to ensure the bad elements of society cannot enter the country.

It appears that security will be beefed up at major Indonesian airports and seaports under a joint project with Australia's immigration department. Australian firm CPS Systems has won a $7.5 million contract to roll out passport readers, databases and name-matching software to identify suspicious people seeking to enter Indonesia.

The system will be used at airports in Jakarta, Denpasar, Surabaya and Medan, Batam sea port and associated immigration offices.

However I do think this sort of system should be used at domestic airports as well as internal ports such as the one at Gilamanuk, an easy entry point for terrortist to enter Bali. Whether or not the government will proceed with this measure is still to ber debated.

The CEKAL system is Indonesia's version of Australia's Movement Alert List which keeps tabs on people such as terrorists and criminals who pose a serious threat to the community. Immigration officials will be able to cross-check the identities of people on arrival against alert lists and lists of people granted visas or entry permits.