Megawati gets tough on drug dealers<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Criticized for its futile attempts to curb drug trafficking,
\nthe government has now decided to change tack.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri has ordered National
\nIntelligence Agency chief A.M. Hendropriyono to take charge of
\ncoordinating the antidrug activities undertaken by all state
\ninstitutions.<\/p>\n
So far, this job has been the responsibility of the National
\nNarcotics Coordination Agency (BKNN), which was inaugurated in
\nJuly 2000 by Megawati, the then vice president.<\/p>\n
The BKNN, which is directed by Comr. Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, was
\nfounded after the government learned that between 1997 and 1999
\nthe number of drug abuse cases had risen by 100 percent. The BKNN
\nis answerable directly to the President.<\/p>\n
However, the abuse of drugs remains as rampant as ever.<\/p>\n
When opening a national seminar on drugs at the State Palace,
\nMegawati was unable to hide her disappointment with the BKNN's
\npoor performance. She has now declared war on drug trafficking.<\/p>\n
\"There should be better coordination between the national
\npolice, prosecutors, customs and the immigration office to smash
\ndrug-trafficking rings and resolve the problem through the legal
\nsystem,\" she said reading from a prepared text.<\/p>\n
The President looked unusually serious and often departed from
\nher text to add her own spontaneous comments and emphasis certain
\npoints.<\/p>\n
\"If necessary, I will ask for the support of the TNI
\n(Indonesian Military). That's why I asked the TNI commander to be
\nhere so he can also hear what I have to say,\" Megawati said.<\/p>\n
But the President did not announce the abolition of the BKNN,
\nand instead said she would give it the authority to act and take
\nlegal action against offenders rather than just undertaking
\ncoordination jobs.<\/p>\n
BKNN chief Da'i Bachtiar, whom Megawati has named the sole
\ncandidate for the post of police chief, said in his defense that
\nthe agency was ineffective because of the lack of authority to
\ntake action.<\/p>\n
\"I am glad the agency will eventually be armed with the
\nrequisite powers,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The President also voiced her disappointment over the light
\nsentences meted out to convicted drug traffickers.<\/p>\n
\"There have been many raids. Some people were arrested but
\nthen released. Or, when they were taken to court, they were also
\nreleased. Whose fault is this?\" she asked.<\/p>\n
The President reiterated her call for the death sentence for
\ndrug producers and major pushers.<\/p>\n
\"Major offenders, like producers and dealers, should be
\npunished by death. For me, it is better to have a person suffer
\ncapital punishment than to see the whole community become
\naddicted to drugs,\" she remarked.<\/p>\n
Harsh punishment for drug offenders was only be fair because
\notherwise the problem would remain and more young people would
\nlose their futures to drugs, she said.<\/p>\n
\"Without trying to interfere, I would urge the Chief Justice
\nand all legal officials to reflect on the dangers of drugs for
\nour children and grandchildren when handing down verdicts,\" she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has become well-known not only as a place of transit
\nfor international traffickers, but also as a producing country.<\/p>\n
Megawati said she was ashamed of how Indonesia was currently
\nregarded in the international community as far as drugs were
\nconcerned.<\/p>\n
\"I was informed that an Indonesian woman was arrested in
\nanother country for drug trafficking. I was so embarrassed I felt
\nlike fainting when I heard that,\" she remarked.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/megawati-gets-tough-on-drug-dealers-1447893297",
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