(9/17/2007)
The Indonesian-language Bisnis Indonesia reports that Bali's Chief of Police, Inspector General Paulus Purwoko is unhappy with the less than whole-hearted response from Ubud's villa owners to his efforts to enhance security in the areas surrounding the Island's popular hill resort area.
Speaking at the inauguration of a new police post in Petitenget, Chief Purwoko complained, "until now, they (the villa owners in Ubud) have yet to materialize a coordinated security system." Purwoko's comments were prompted, perhaps in part, by the contrasting excellent support demonstrated by the Bali Villa Association (BVA) whose initiative created the new community police post at Petitenget, near Seminyak, a popular center for villa development in Bali.
In his remarks quoted by the press, Purwoko pointed to recent armed robberies at Ubud villas and the failure of owners to take decisive remedial steps to prevent similar crimes in the future. The Chief, who is a champion of an integrated, community-based approach to enhancing security - is adamant in reminding Bali's tourism industry that safety and security will always remain Bali's best marketing tool.
Also speaking at the community police post opening in Petitenget, Imoyo S. Soemarlin, the Chairman of the BVA said, "we hope the presence of this post will improve reporting (and communications) and is able to create an integrated system of security in this area."
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