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Safety
and Security
in Jakarta
In
order to feel safe and secure while living in Jakarta you need to feel
comfortable in your home and neighborhood and be confident in going
about your daily activities and in your interaction with the local
community. It is important to establish your own sense of well-being
which enables you to deal in the best possible way with those elements
that are beyond your
control. While foreigners are not necessarily the targets of crime,
there are occasions when they inevitably get hit as well as other
Indonesians. However if you follow basic safety precautions, you will
find your stay in Jakarta a very safe one.
The following are some tips on general and personal safety:
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Being able to speak and understand the Indonesian language enables
you to deal with most security related problems that may arise. We
encourage you to learn Bahasa Indonesia, as the ability to
communicate with those around you will do much to improve, not only
your feeling of safety, but the quality of your stay in Indonesia .
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Exercising common sense in your demeanor in public places will go
far to ensure your personal safety. In our home countries we expect
visitors to our shores to comply with what we consider acceptable
standards of behavior and not to be rude or arrogant. Here it is no
different. A smile and a friendly gesture go a long way to bridging
the cultural gap here in Indonesia as these actions do in most other
countries.
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Avoid attracting attention and becoming a target of street theft by
wearing lots of expensive jewelry and watches in public, or
displaying large amounts of cash when making purchases, especially
in the more traditional shopping areas.
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If
you are walking in the streets wear your purse with the strap across
your body not hanging from one shoulder, or even better, wear a
waist pouch to carry your money.
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All
family members should carry a hand phone at all times. Ensure that
emergency numbers are programmed into your hand phone and that you
have a list of important phone numbers kept in a safe place.
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Just
as in most major cities anywhere in the world, there are areas of
Jakarta that may not be safe after dark. Ask Indonesian friends and
colleagues where these areas are, so that you will not inadvertently
pass through them.
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When
eating out, don't hang your purse across the back of a chair or set
it down by the table. Even in some of the best restaurants and
hotels purses have been known to disappear in the midst of a meal.
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When
shopping, don't leave your purse in the supermarket trolley but keep
it on your person. In shops and department stores, keep your purse
close to you and don't set down your shopping bags and turn away to
look at other items. In a flash, someone could easily pick up your
bags and walk away with them.
Your home
Your
home provides a physical barrier for your protection. Most upper class
homes in Jakarta and those usually rented by expatriates typically
have high fences and gates facing the street, 20-30 foot walls around
the remaining 3 sides, often topped by broken glass, barbed wire or
spikes, and 24-hour guards or watchmen. However the need for these
security precautions may be perceived, not actual and these homes are
not necessarily more secure that those neighborhoods where the
residents do not feel the need for such physical protection.
High
fences surrounding your property do discourage theft and do protect
your privacy, but keep in mind that they also make it difficult for
neighbors to see if someone is breaking into your home. Many homes
have metal grilles on the windows to discourage unwanted entrance,
however a disadvantage is that they also make exit in the case of fire
impossible.
One of
the most effective means of protection is to always maintain
harmonious relationships with your domestic staff and neighbors. Make
a donation for the community's Lebaran and Independence Day activities
as requested by your RT (neighborhood head), and when appropriate join
in the various activities that are organized by your local community.
By becoming a member of your community and demonstrating an open,
friendly attitude to your Indonesian neighbors, you can be assured
that your safety will become a community concern. It has been observed
that those expatriates who have had poor relationships with their
domestic staff are more likely to become victims of theft. One of the
many advantages of developing good relationships with your neighbors
is that they are likely to alert you as to when you may be starting to
have problems with your domestic staff.
It is
recommended that you take photocopies of the identity cards (KTP) of
your domestic staff and also have photographs of them on file. Be sure
to obtain the details of their next of kin and home address. When
employing staff you should have their references and bonafides
verified. It is also a good idea to visit them at their house to
verify their place of domicile. It is also crucial that you store the
KTP copies and other details in your home safe or better yet, at the
office. These measures serve to lower the temptation for any staff
facing a monetary difficulty to steal from you.
When
choosing your home in Jakarta various security aspects should be
considered. Many expatriates choose to live in an apartment due to the
extra security provided and in order to avoid the hassles of people
coming to the house for one reason and another. In our home countries
we tend to choose to live in areas where the residents have a
lifestyle similar to our own and for this reason many newcomers tend
to select houses in areas where other expatriates live. Try to avoid a
house sharing a common fence with a kampung (urban village) or a
vacant block. Make sure that there are alternate routes to and from
the residence and look for a house which does not draw attention to
itself or its occupants.
There
are things that you can do to make your present house more secure:
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The
outer perimeter fencing and entry gates of your home must always be
your first consideration. Fences should have anti-climb features
such as broken bottles/glass, barbed wire, etc. affixed to the top
and there should be no easy points of access from adjoining
buildings into your property.
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Gates should have the same or similar features to the fencing and
should be kept locked except when you or your guests are entering or
leaving.
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Make
sure that your ground floor windows can be secured either by
lockable shutters or internally fitted deadlocks.
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Entry doors to the house should be solid core, with three internal
hinges and viewing cylinders installed. Have security chains
installed just as we do at home.
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Consider getting a dog. Apart from its value as a pet, dogs are an
excellent deterrent to would be intruders.
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Consider your outdoor lighting. From a security standpoint,
spotlights fitted to the house and shining toward the perimeter of
the property are always the best choice. Would be intruders are less
likely to walk into the light. To further enhance the effectiveness
of this style of lighting have them activated by motion detector.
This has the added benefit of making any intruder think that he has
been caught making him more likely to flee than continue with his
plans.
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For
you peace of mind, have a security consultant do a security audit on
your home. They will do a thorough audit of your premises and
provide you with a written report on the residence along with a set
of security improvement recommendations if required.
Guards
Most
expatriates have a watchman or jaga to guard their home. They are
often referred to as day jaga or night jaga, each working a 12-hour
shift. Some people choose to have only a night watchman, while others
may choose to have a jaga during the day as well. The jaga's duty is
to ensure the safety of the house, the residents and household
contents. He also opens the gate for your car when you leave and
arrive home, and deals with people coming to your gate. Various people
may come to your gate, trying to sell you something or requesting a
donation, legit ima te or otherwise. Your jaga should screen these
people and, in accordance with your policy, either turn them away or
inform you of their presence. Your jaga should never allow anyone to
enter your gate without your specific permission. It is much easier to
turn an undesirable person away if they have not yet entered your
yard. The day jaga often doubles as a gardener and does routine pool
maintenance.
The
night jaga does not necessarily stay awake all night to watch over the
house, but is expected to wake up in case of trouble. He should at
least be sleeping in a strategic position on the front patio or in the
garage. In order to help the jaga stay awake, it's a good idea to put
a small television set or a radio in the garage or other appropriate
location.
The
monthly fee that you pay to your RT (neighborhood head) for garbage
collection and security covers the salaries of your local hansip. This
term comes from pertahanan sipil, which means civilian security. The
men who make up the hansip team have very min ima l training and their
primary function is to patrol the neighborhood regularly to check for
problems. If a burglary or serious incident should occur, the hansip
can contact the police for you.
If you
are having a large party and anticipate some traffic congestion due to
your guests' cars, you should report to your RT and he will arrange
for some hansip to assist in traffic control as well as to watch your
guests' cars during the evening. You will need to pay a fee for their
services and it is customary to provide them with coffee and some
snacks.
Some
homes of expatriates and wealthy Indonesians are guarded day and night
by teams of satpam who are trained in guard duties and are
distinguishable by the fact that they wear official looking uniforms.
The term satpam is an abbreviation of Satuan Petugas Keamanan, which
means Security Officers' Unit. Satpam are considered to be more
professional than jaga and hansip as they have participated in a
training program and are licensed by the local government. The duty of
a satpam is to ensure the safety of your family especially in any
dangerous situation and to open the gate and screen visitors to your
home. They are not expected to assist with domestic duties or pool
work. Satpam are hired through an agency or security consultant
company. If you have a satpam there is no need for you to employ a
jaga.
Instructions to staff
It is
important that your household staff understand your policies regarding
security therefore you need to give them very clear instructions. Tell
your jaga or satpam and household staff that under no circumstances is
anyone to be let into the house or even the yard without your presence
and permission, even if they are expatriates. Well-intended staff will
sometimes allow
strangers into homes for the fear of causing insult. There are many
documented cases where foreigners have stolen goods from houses in
recent years. If you have not given instructions for specific
individuals to be allowed into your home during your absence, then
they are not to be admitted. Your staff should be made aware that they
are responsible for the house and its contents in your absence and
should be wary of strangers and exercise caution and common sense in
all situations. Give strict instructions to your household staff that
they should never, ever give anything that belongs to you to someone
without your specific prior instructions
Some
basic instructions for your staff should include keeping the gate
locked at all times, never leaving the house unoccupied, turning on
outside lights at dusk. Specific instructions need to be given
regarding how to deal with strangers coming to the gate, and how to
answer phone calls. Stress to your staff that they should never give
out any personal information about yourself or your family.
Staff
should also be instructed how to deal with emergencies such as fire,
floods, electrical blackouts, plumbing problems, or roof leaks as well
as medical emergencies involving any member of the family.
Home security during vacation
During
the summer holidays when many expatriates vacate their homes for long
periods, special attention should be given to the security of your
home.
It is
at this time of year and at Lebaran (the holiday period at the end of
the fasting month of Ramadan), that you may become more vulnerable to
incidents of theft. However, there are a number of measures that you
can take to significantly reduce your risk exposure:
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Continually remind domestic staff not to admit unauthorized
visitors.
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Also
remind your staff to be cautious about giving sensitive information,
especially in relation to your whereabouts, to those telephoning
your home. It is one of the best methods for organized thieves to
identify windows of opportunity to steal. Staff need only reply to a
curious caller "I am sorry, he/she is not here at the moment, please
leave me your name and number so that he/she can return your call."
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Remind your staff to as much as possible, to carry out their usual
household routines. This would indicate to the casual observer that
you are still at home. For example leaving the lights on at night,
mowing the lawns, cleaning the windows, etc.
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Ask
colleagues from the office or friends to telephone or visit your
house unannounced. This serves to both test the effectiveness of the
instructions you left with your staff, along with lowering the
temptation for your staff to steal or have their own vacation during
your absence. You might consider occasionally calling home for any
phone messages to reinforce the message.
Having
done all this, you should enjoy your home leave with peace of mind.
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