JAKARTA – Indonesia has ordered the police not to play Pokemon Go while on duty and will soon ban military personnel as well, officials said on Wednesday (July 20), as the armed forces chief warned the smartphone game was a security threat.

Indonesians have joined the frenzy for the game, which has become a worldwide hit since launching two weeks ago and has has already been blamed for a wave of crimes, traffic violations and complaints in cities around the globe.

Despite Pokemon Go not yet being officially available in Indonesia, many have downloaded it illegally and taken to the streets to hunt for virtual “pocket monsters”.

But its popularity has caused concern among the security establishment’s top echelons, with officials suggesting its high-tech capabilities could be put to use in spying.

“Spying can come in different forms,” said hardline Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu. “At first, it (Pokemon Go) appears cute but the longer you see… it is just not right.”

Pokemon Go fever

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Reuters, AFP

The military will soon issue an order banning all personnel from playing Pokemon Go during work hours as it seeks to protect high-security sites, military spokesman Tatang Sulaiman told AFP.

The order will note concerns that devices being used to play the game can send data over the Internet to other countries.

The announcement came after a Frenchman was briefly detained this week when he accidentally wandered onto a military base on Java island as he played Pokemon Go.

Police officers across the country were already sent an order on Tuesday banning them from playing the game while on duty, a spokesman said.

“We are worried that police officers may become addicted and we don’t want that because a police officer’s duty is to serve the public. The job requires hard work and concentration,” said national police spokesman Boy Rafli Amar.

He also said police had been instructed to be on heightened alert for terror threats. Earlier this month, a suicide bomber attacked a police station in the city of Solo, injuring one officer.

Pokemon Go uses smartphone satellite location, graphics and camera capabilities to overlay cartoon monsters on real-world settings, challenging players to capture and train the creatures for battles.

TAIPEI – Taiwan authorities ordered some tour buses off the road Wednesday after one caught fire and killed 26 on board as questions swirl over why emergency doors and windows did not open.

Local media reported that bodies were found stacked at the escape routes at the back of the bus full of Chinese tourists, which caught fire then crashed through an expressway barrier Tuesday on its way to Taipei’s main airport in Taoyuan.

Investigators believe mechanical or electrical failure near the driver’s seat may have led to the disaster, according to reports.

The China Times said preliminary investigations had also found emergency door handles may have been distorted by heat from the inferno inside the bus.

Pictures from the scene showed two men outside the bus trying to smash windows open with fire extinguishers.

One eyewitness said trapped passengers inside the bus had been pounding on the windows as it careered off the road.

Four buses belonging to the Mei Kui Shih Transportation Company – which operated the tour bus – were ordered off the road, Taiwan’s highways department said.

Another 16 buses of the same model, used by other tour companies, will have a compulsory inspection within the next week, the department said.

Prosecutors in Taoyuan district questioned the bus operator and travel agency Tuesday night and were continuing to investigate Wednesday.

They told AFP they were unable as yet to speculate on the causes of the accident.

“(We) will conduct a second examination of the scene and vehicle to identify the cause,” they said in a statement.

A post-mortem will be carried out on the body of the driver to determine the state of his health, the statement added.

Chinese officials are due to land Wednesday afternoon and arrangements are being made for family members to come to Taiwan, according to the island’s Mainland Affairs Council.

Relatives will undergo DNA tests to help identify the bodies, prosecutors said.

The tour group of 24 visitors from China’s northeastern city of Dalian were heading to the airport for their flight home after an eight-day trip around the island when the bus caught fire, swerving sharply before ramming into the expressway barrier.

All died, including three children, along with the driver and tour guide who were both Taiwanese.

Riau Police reportedly have dropped investigations into 11 companies allegedly involved in forest fires in 2015, underlining the poor law enforcement of last year’s catastrophe that claimed five lives.

The 11 companies were among 18 accused of having been involved in the fires. While two other companies have seen their cases brought to court, six other companies are still being investigated.

Following the termination of the 11 investigations, the Riau Forest Rescue Network (Jikalahari) environmental group has called for the dismissal of the Riau Police chief.

Jikalahari coordinator Woro Supartinah said a termination of investigation ( SP3 ) on the cases was issued in January. But, it was only unveiled recently when some environmental activists visited Riau Police headquarters seeking an update on the cases.

“It turned out that only two cases have been brought to court and six others are being investigated by Riau Police,” Woro told the media on Tuesday.

The 11 companies that saw their investigations terminated operate industrial plantation forests (HTI) and oil palm plantations. The industrial forest companies are PT Bumi Daya Laksana, PT Siak Raya Timber, PT Perawang Sukses Perkasa Industri, PT Hutani Sola Lestari, PT Bukit Raya Pelalawan and KUD Bina Jaya Langgam.

The five oil palm plantation companies are PT Pan United, PT Riau Jaya Utama, PT Alam Lestari, PT Parawira and PT Hibrindo Inti Langgam.

Meanwhile, the six companies that are being investigated include PT Ruas Utama Jaya, PT Decter Timber Perkasa Industry, PT Suntara Gajapati, PT Rimba Lazuardi, PT Sumatera Riang Lestari and PT Wana Subur Sawit Indah. The first five companies are involved in HTI while the last one is engaged in the oil palm sector.

“Only the cases involving PT Langgam Into Hibrindo and PT Palm Lestari Makmur have been brought to court, however, the defendants are individuals and not corporate players. The court verdicts were also quite disappointing as two of the four defendants were acquitted,” Woro said.

She recalled millions of Riau residents, who were exposed to severe haze from the September 2015 forest fires, were excited by the prospect of Riau Police undertaking investigations into the alleged involvement of 18 companies in the fires.

Indonesia’s Riau declares State of Emergency over haze

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Metro TV, Rezi Andika Putra, Al Ghifari Alexandria Ramadhan, AFP

The public also appreciated the work of the Riau Police for successfully handling forest fire cases in 2013 and proving the involvement of PT Adei Plantation and Industry and PT National Sago Prima.

“Terminating the investigations into the 11 companies has really disappointed the Riau people. It did not at all align with their sense of justice, especially after five residents died from the [fires’ resulting] air pollution and millions of others suffered respiratory problems,” Woro said.

She demanded President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian to evaluate the performance of Riau Police chief Brig. Gen. Supriyanto.

Woro claimed the Riau Police chief went against the President’s instructions, who in January ordered the National Police to take stern action against forest fire perpetrators.

However, “the SP3’s issuance to the companies indicates a lack of willingness by the Riau Police chief in enforcing the law on forest fire cases, which clearly contributes to environmental degradation in Riau,” added Woro.

Jikalahari deputy coordinator Made Ali said the Riau Police’s attempt to cover up the investigation terminations raised questions, particularly after the police also issued SP3s to 14 companies suspected to be involved in illegal logging in 2006.

Made suspected the cover-up attempt of the cases was the work of a cabal inside the force.

“The new police chief should pay special attention to this issue to prove his determination in eradicating the ‘mafia’s’ infiltration in law enforcement agencies,” said Made.

Separately, Riau Police chief spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Guntur Aryo Tejo acknowledged that Riau Police had terminated investigations into the 11 companies. “The cases were discontinued because of insufficient evidence,” Guntur told The Jakarta Post.