REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, TANGERANG -- As the holiday rush began, PT Angkasa Pura II (Persero) as the manager of Soekarno-Hatta Airport appealed to passengers not to make jokes about bombs in the luggage. Anyone who makes a joke about a bomb could spend a dozen years in jail, warned the Senior Manager of Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Erwin Revianto, here on Thursday.
The airport had potential vulnerabilities that could pose security problems."Therefore, it needs cooperation and proactive steps from relevant stakeholders to overcome the problems, such as congestion and hazard-prone points," he said.
The Police, the Indonesian Military (TNI) and Aviation Security were coordinating to handle the Ramadan rush. Revianto said random check would continue to ensure passengers were safe.
Earlier, National Police reminded people to not use bomb-related topics as jokes. Bomb joke is a crime. As stipulated in Law No. 1 Year 2009 on Aviation, anyone who gives false information that can endanger flight safety faces up to one year in prison.
"It disturbs public order," said Setyo at National Police Headquarters on Thursday (May 24).
Setyo asked the people to always follow the security protocols implemented in public places. In airport, for instance, security check should not be responded with jokes about bomb.
"For security measures, the place must be sterilized when someone saying he/she carries a bomb," Setyo added.
Earlier, some people were reported for bomb jokes. Ironacally, some of the people are two members of Banyuwangi Regional Legislative Council (DPRD). The latest case involved a man named Frantinus Nirigi (FN).
Police have named FN a suspect in a bomb joke case. FN was arrested by Supadio Airport officers in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, on Monday (May 28) for joking about bomb in his bag when he was about fly with Lion Air flight number JT 687 to Soekarno Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten.