BNPT bolsters Sepingganairport security ahead of I-Day in Nusantara

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Counter Terrorism Agency (BNPT) assisted with a security assessment at Sepinggan International Airport in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, ahead of the upcoming Independence Day ceremony in Nusantara Capital City (IKN) on August 17.

Colonel Sigit Karyadi, BNPT Head of the Sub-Directorate for Security of Vital Objects and Transportation, said the assistance would strengthen the airport's security measures to prevent terrorist attacks.

"Sepinggan Airport is one of the airports used for access to reach IKN," he said in an official statement from his office on Tuesday.

The assessment includes securing the outer perimeter, the VVIP building, and the arrival and departure terminals.

It also involves personnel and document checks, security and safety supporting equipment, and evacuation routes, Karyadi revealed. The security assessment at Sepinggan Airport was carried out by the agency as a member of the security team for the planned Independence Day ceremony in Nusantara, he stated.

Meanwhile, the airport's general manager Ahmad Syaugi Syahab said that the security assessment is paramount to mitigating the possibility of an act of terrorism.

"This assessment is needed to ensure the absence of any terrorists ahead of the ceremony," Syahab noted.

Baca juga: Widodo compares investing in IKN to buying the future
Baca juga: Targeting Aug 1 start for Nusantara VVIP airport operation

As Sepinggan International Airport is one of the entry points to IKN, he expected that cooperation with the BNPT would continue in the future to jointly prevent the threat of terrorism in the region. Syahab also sought comprehensive support from the BNPT to prevent, overcome, and arrest terrorists in the airport.

The government will hold the Independence Day commemoration event in Nusantara, East Kalimantan, on August 17, marking the city as the new capital of Indonesia.