BIN's plan not yet final<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post,
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Just one day after a Cabinet minister claimed that President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri had given her blessing for the expansion
\nof the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) up to the regency and
\nmunicipal level across the archipelago, the minister responsible
\nfor security matters in Megawati's government insisted the plan
\nhad not received the approval of the Cabinet.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Gen.
\n(ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Thursday the Cabinet
\nshould first discuss the plan on the intelligence operation
\nexpansion before the President makes a decision.<\/p>\n
"I will talk to the BIN chief first on the issue," said the
\nminister after accompanying the President in receiving Malaysian
\nPrime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the State Palace.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters after meeting with the President on
\nWednesday, State Minister for State Administrative Reforms Feisal
\nTamim claimed that Megawati would soon sign a degree mandating
\nBIN to open offices in all provinces, regencies and
\nmunicipalities.<\/p>\n
"There will be a presidential decree on the establishment of
\nthese offices," said Tamim who met Megawati along with BIN chief
\nLt. Gen. (ret) Hendropriyono who is also close to the President.<\/p>\n
Susilo did not deny the BIN expansion plan. He also played
\ndown public fears that the government would revert to the
\nrepressive practices of the Soeharto era.<\/p>\n
He said the offices would merely coordinate intelligence
\noperations between the National Police, Indonesian Military
\n(TNI), and prosecutor's offices.<\/p>\n
"It will not be as formidable as the public think," said
\nSusilo who plans to challenge Megawati in the coming direct
\npresidential election.<\/p>\n
The government found strong reason to restore the powers of
\nBIN after the Oct. 12, 2002, Bali bomb blast and then the bombing
\nof the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta last August. Poor performance
\nof the intelligence agencies was widely blamed for the failure to
\nprevent the terrorist attacks.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung saw
\nthe expansion plan to strengthen BIN's capability as
\nunderstandable, but criticized the decision to institutionalize
\nthe intelligence activities.<\/p>\n
"Intelligence should have a network at every level of the
\ngovernment, but not by setting up offices," Akbar said during a
\nvisit to The Jakarta Post office on Thursday.<\/p>\n
"Another important point is that BIN should be led by a person
\nwho is free from any political power and solely devoted to state
\nduties," Akbar said, in an apparent reference to Hendropriyono's
\nrelationship with the President.<\/p>\n
Separately, political analyst Indria Samego of the Indonesian
\nInstitute of Sciences (LIPI) said that the plan to open
\nintelligence offices in regencies was excessive and could be
\nprone to abuse.<\/p>\n
"The plan to open offices at the regency level will be open to
\nabuse. Some intelligence officials may use their power to extort
\nmoney," he told the Post.<\/p>\n
Indria also feared that the opening of intelligence offices in
\nregencies would also revive the practices of the New Order
\ngovernment in which the people must meet many security officials
\nto get a permit before organizing public gatherings.<\/p>\n
Instead of establishing new offices in the regencies, Indria
\nsuggested that the government empower the existing state
\ninstitutions, including the military offices.<\/p>\n
Indria suggested that the military's territorial commands
\ncould be used to do intelligence work.<\/p>\n
"The plan clearly shows that the government is more worried
\nabout the increasing political activities of its own people,"
\nsaid the political scientist.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bins-plan-not-yet-final-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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