REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, DENPASAR -- Bali Police have scaled up security for the Australian Consulate General in Denpasar, Bali, to anticipate security threats, following the alleged wiretapping of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono by the Australian intelligence.

"The security protection measure has been adopted to anticipate security threats," said Head of Bali Police Operations Bureau Commissioner I Gede Alit Widana on Thursday.

Widana noted that the Indonesian Police Headquarters has instructed personnel to secure all Australian representative offices after the alleged wiretapping of the Indonesian president and a number of senior officials, which triggered rising tensions in the relationship between the two countries.

However, Widana did not divulge any details on the number of officers deployed for these security measures or when it will end.

"The number of police officers deployed to secure the Australian Consulate is whatever was needed. I cannot mention the details," he stated.

Widana also said that the implementation of the security measure is being handled by the Denpasar police with assistance from the Bali Police Mobile Brigade.

The assigned officers have been posted along the perimeter of the Australian representative office.

Currently, the security activities being conducted by the police personnel at the Australian Consulate General's office, located in Jalan Letda Tantular, Renon, Denpasar, are going according to plan.

Only police officers who conduct routine security operations have been seen on the premises, amounting to two to three officers and a number of patrolling police personnel.

There is also one patrol car with some police officers on standby at the front of the Australian representative office.

Bilateral relations were strained after a report by The Guardian on Monday (Nov. 18) revealed that the Australian government in 2009 had wiretapped the private phones of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, and several ministers and government officials.

The report was based on documents leaked by the former employee of the United States' National Security Agency (NSA), Edward Snowden, who has been granted asylum in Russia.

In response to the allegations, the Indonesian government recalled the Indonesian Ambassador to Australia Nadjib Riphat Kesoema for consultations.

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