http://asia.dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/world/article.html?s=asia/headlines/991228/world/afp/Asia_beefs_up_security_to_prevent_millennium_chaos.html

Tuesday, December 28 4:04 PM SGT

Asia beefs up security to prevent millennium chaos HONG KONG, Dec 28 (AFP) -

Hundreds of thousands of police officers and soldiers will be deployed across Asia on New Year's Eve to guard against millennium mayhem.

Several countries have placed police on full alert for millennium night and others have cancelled holiday leave to ensure their forces will be staffed at maximum levels.

Japanese police have said they will deploy some 106,000 officers across the country while the military has said 96,000 soldiers -- an increase of 12,000 from normal -- would be on duty.

"Every year around this time we boost our security measures by putting more officers on duty, and this year we are going to take an extra caution by doubling the number of officers on duty because of Y2K," a police spokesman told AFP.

"Although we are not expecting major traffic disruption or security problems, we are fully ready to cope with the year 2000 issues," the spokesman added.

Marine police in Sydney have vowed to be on the lookout for 'drunken sailors', as 100,000 vessels are expected to cram into the world-famous harbour for the festivities.

Water Police say they will impose an eight knot speed limit between 6.30 a.m. December 31, and 6.30 a.m. January 1, and will breath test skippers suspected of being intoxicated and impound their boats if necessary.

New South Wales Police say they will be out in force to control a crowd which officials anticipate will exceed 1.2 million people around Sydney Harbour for New Year's eve millennium celebrations on Friday.

The police State Protection Group (SPG) will also be on standby to respond to any terrorist activity, but officials refused to give details or say how many police would be deployed.

In New Zealand, revellers greeting the first rays of the new millennium are expected to gridlock the town of Gisborne, the first place on the mainland of the country to witness the dawn of 2000.

More than 140 extra officers have been drafted in to help with "Operation First Light", and police are expecting some 100,000 visitors to descend on the city over the period.

Police leave in New Zealand has been cancelled over the New Year holiday, mirroring Singapore, where the city-state's entire police force will be deployed to ensure celebrations run smoothly.

A police official said some 10,000 policemen will be on duty as more than half a million people are expected to be on the streets to usher in the new millennium.

In Manila, some 14,000 policemen backed by some 300 special forces teams and sniffer dogs will be deployed in the Philippine capital for celebrations.

Officers would be on high alert from December 30 according to Manila police director Chief Superintendent Edgardo Aglipay.

Similarly high levels of police officers will be deployed in Hong Kong.

"Police operational manpower will be maximised from December 31, 1999, to January 3, 2000, to ensure an effective service to the public," a police official said.

Alternative lines of communications have been set up for police, and a back-up telephone system for the police control centre has been installed.

Strict crowd control measures will also be enforced in the former British colony's Lan Kwai Fong nightlife district to avoid a crush similar to the one which left more than 20 people dead on New Year's Eve in 1992.

burs/rob/am

-- Hokie (nn@va.com), December 28, 1999