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.