BIN's plan not yet final

BIN's plan not yet final

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta

Just one day after a Cabinet minister claimed that President
Megawati Soekarnoputri had given her blessing for the expansion
of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN) up to the regency and
municipal level across the archipelago, the minister responsible
for security matters in Megawati's government insisted the plan
had not received the approval of the Cabinet.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Gen.
(ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Thursday the Cabinet
should first discuss the plan on the intelligence operation
expansion before the President makes a decision.

"I will talk to the BIN chief first on the issue," said the
minister after accompanying the President in receiving Malaysian
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the State Palace.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with the President on
Wednesday, State Minister for State Administrative Reforms Feisal
Tamim claimed that Megawati would soon sign a degree mandating
BIN to open offices in all provinces, regencies and
municipalities.

"There will be a presidential decree on the establishment of
these offices," said Tamim who met Megawati along with BIN chief
Lt. Gen. (ret) Hendropriyono who is also close to the President.

Susilo did not deny the BIN expansion plan. He also played
down public fears that the government would revert to the
repressive practices of the Soeharto era.

He said the offices would merely coordinate intelligence
operations between the National Police, Indonesian Military
(TNI), and prosecutor's offices.

"It will not be as formidable as the public think," said
Susilo who plans to challenge Megawati in the coming direct
presidential election.

The government found strong reason to restore the powers of
BIN after the Oct. 12, 2002, Bali bomb blast and then the bombing
of the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta last August. Poor performance
of the intelligence agencies was widely blamed for the failure to
prevent the terrorist attacks.

Meanwhile, House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung saw
the expansion plan to strengthen BIN's capability as
understandable, but criticized the decision to institutionalize
the intelligence activities.

"Intelligence should have a network at every level of the
government, but not by setting up offices," Akbar said during a
visit to The Jakarta Post office on Thursday.

"Another important point is that BIN should be led by a person
who is free from any political power and solely devoted to state
duties," Akbar said, in an apparent reference to Hendropriyono's
relationship with the President.

Separately, political analyst Indria Samego of the Indonesian
Institute of Sciences (LIPI) said that the plan to open
intelligence offices in regencies was excessive and could be
prone to abuse.

"The plan to open offices at the regency level will be open to
abuse. Some intelligence officials may use their power to extort
money," he told the Post.

Indria also feared that the opening of intelligence offices in
regencies would also revive the practices of the New Order
government in which the people must meet many security officials
to get a permit before organizing public gatherings.

Instead of establishing new offices in the regencies, Indria
suggested that the government empower the existing state
institutions, including the military offices.

Indria suggested that the military's territorial commands
could be used to do intelligence work.

"The plan clearly shows that the government is more worried
about the increasing political activities of its own people,"
said the political scientist.