SATURDAY July 15, 2017 ThelaliartaPost

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Energy assets to be better prote.cted
JAKARTA: The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry sems to mean
business in protecting state energy and mining assets against acts
of terror even though' no vital installations in the country have been
targeted by terrorists to date.
The ministry signed an agreement on Friday with the Indonesian
Military (TNI) on the role of the armed forces in securing exploration
activities of natural resources .across the country managed by the min
istry. It made a similar deal with the National Counterterrorism Agency
(BNPT) a few months ago.
"It's especially for vital installations, such as upstream oil and gas
exploration, and power and fuel installations," Energy Minister lgnasius
jonan said after the signing ceremony at TNI headquarters in Jakarta.
TNI chief Gen. Gatot Nurmanty o-.said he would deploy personnel to
several onshore and offshore exploration sites as they could face secu
rity threats at any time. "When ministry o.fficials conduct [field] studies
in the sea, they are often bothered by [foreign] vessels," he said.
In March, the ministry signed a-similar memorandum witJYthe
BNPT, during which the ministry also requested the help 1>fthe BNPT
to compile standard operating procedures for the prot eetl'on of state
assets. At that time, jonan said the level of securit'(JNas different

depending on the operators.

Meanwhile, BNPT chief Suhardi Alius said t t although there was

no indication that terrorists would t rget e rgy or mining assets, it

was important to take precautionar m sures. JP -