Says There Was No Violence Against Residents In Wadas Village, Mahfud MD: Police Act According To Procedure

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD (Photo: ANTARA DOK)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD said that no violence was carried out by the police during the land surveying process at the location of the candidate for the Bener Reservoir in Wadas Village, Bener District, Purworejo, Central Java. He said the police had acted in accordance with applicable procedures.

"The police have acted according to procedures to ensure public safety. There was no violence from the authorities, no shootings," Mahfud told reporters, Wednesday, February 9.

Mahfud emphasized that the police were moving to the village solely to protect the community. The goal is to prevent them from getting caught up in horizontal conflicts and being provoked.

"The police have acted on requests to escort and keep the community from being trapped in horizontal conflicts and being provoked between fellow communities," said the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK).

Furthermore, Mahfud said his party would hold a coordination meeting related to the problem in Wadas Village with a number of parties. "Until now, we are in the process of cooling down first," he said.

Previously reported, hundreds of joint officers from the TNI, Polri, and Satpol PP of Purworejo Regency accompanied the local BPN team to carry out land measurements at the location of the candidate for the Bener Reservoir in Wadas Village, Bener. This was held on Tuesday, February 8th.

"A total of 250 joint officers accompany around 70 BPN officers and the agriculture office who carry out measurements and counting of growing plants," said Head of Public Relations of the Central Java Police, Kombes M. Iqbal Alqudusy in his statement in Purworejo, Central Java, quoted from Antara.

He explained that the officers assisted the National Land Agency (BPN) team after the Head of the Central Java BPN Regional Office had an audience with the Central Java Police Chief on Monday.

The basis for the letter of personnel assistance, he said, was contained in the PUPR Ministry Letter Number UM 0401.AG.3.4./45 dated February 3, 2022 regarding the Application for Safeguarding the Implementation of Measurements in Wadas Village, Purworejo Regency, Central Java.

In addition, there is also a letter from the Ministry of ATR/BPN, Purworejo Regency, Central Java Province Number AT.02.02/344-33.06/II/2022 dated February 4, 2022 regarding the Application for Security Personnel for the Implementation of Inventory and Identification in Wadas Village, Purworejo Regency.