Gen. Wiranto defends state security bill<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense Gen. Wiranto deflected
\naccusations on Monday that his office was seeking to grant
\nexcessive power to the government and the Indonesian Military
\nwhen it drafted the controversial bill on state security now
\nunder deliberation in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
Wiranto, who is also the Indonesian Military (TNI) chief, said
\nin a plenary session on the bill regarding state security and
\ncivilian militia that there was never any such ill intention.<\/p>\n
\"When the bill (on state security) was drafted, there was
\nnever any intention to grant excessive power to the government or
\n(help the government) maintain its power, or to seek military
\ndominance,\" Wiranto said as quoted by Antara in the session which
\nwas presided over by deputy House speaker Lt. Gen. Hari Sabarno.<\/p>\n
Wiranto argued that state security acts are also common in
\nmany other countries including the United States, Malaysia,
\nSingapore, the Philippines, Pakistan, Japan and China.<\/p>\n
He cited the Dutch colonial legacy of an ordinance on state
\nemergency, known as Regeling op de Staat van Orloog en van Beleg,
\nas well as similar acts including Law No. 6\/1959, Law No. 74\/1957
\nand Law No. 23\/1959 on a state of emergency, which he said are no
\nlonger suitable under the current legal situation.<\/p>\n
\"Which is why these laws need to be replaced, but the very
\nsubstance of the matter is still very much relevant for the
\ndrafting of this particular bill,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The House members had blasted the defense ministry because the
\nbill failed to stipulate that the government had to consult the
\nHouse before declaring a state of emergency. In his response on
\nMonday, Wiranto said: \"The government can understand this
\ninput...but chapter 12 of the 1945 Constitution stipulates that
\nthe president could declare such a state without consulting the
\nHouse.\"<\/p>\n
Wiranto urged the House and the public alike to study the
\nprinciples of emergency laws, especially the emergency
\nconstitutional law, before concluding that the bill was
\nrepressive and against democratization.<\/p>\n
He recounted a piece of American history when President
\nAbraham Lincoln declared a state of emergency during a civil war
\nbypassing the constitutional procedures in order to restore
\nnational unity.<\/p>\n
He said it meant \"the highest interest of the state is its
\nvery existence, salus publica suprema lex, which is why the
\nstipulation on state of emergency is really needed.\"<\/p>\n
\"However, we should improve the supervision management to
\neffectively control those who are in power, in carrying out their
\nduty,\" Wiranto added.<\/p>\n
Observers have blasted the government for the bill on state
\nsecurity which they said was against the principles of human
\nrights. On Friday, a number of media leaders conveyed their
\nobjection to the bill directly to Wiranto in a meeting at the
\nministry of information.<\/p>\n
Leo Batubara, the secretary-general of the Association of
\nNewspaper Publishers (SPS), said the bill would turn Indonesia
\ninto a fascist, militaristic and totalitarian country which was
\njustified in using violence against its own people, including
\nbeing able to gag the press.<\/p>\n
The media representatives also called on the public to join
\nthem in their rejection of several chapters of the bill which
\nseeks to stipulate a media gag.<\/p>\n
The bill stipulates presidential authority to declare a state
\nof emergency in troubled territories. The President is also
\nallowed to delegate his or her authority to the military, which
\nwould then be given free rein to handle threats to state
\nsecurity.<\/p>\n
It allows the military to carry out investigations and raids,
\nand take over all mail, telecommunications and electronic
\nfacilities. An emergency also allows a ban or limitation on
\ndemonstrations and print and electronic media.<\/p>\n
In the event of a state of emergency, the bill says the
\nmilitary chief would be permitted to resort to any measures, such
\nas barring demonstrations, which violate existing laws.<\/p>\n
The military would have full authority to prevent individuals
\nfrom entering or leaving the country, isolate \"troubled
\nindividuals and areas\" and set curfews. (swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gen-wiranto-defends-state-security-bill-1447893297",
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