Clear-cut rulings needed for foreign researchers: Scholar

Clear-cut rulings needed for foreign researchers: Scholar

JAKARTA (JP): Mochtar Pabottingi, a senior researcher at the
National Institute of Sciences (LIPI), underlined here on
Wednesday the importance of clear-cut regulations for foreign
researchers intending to conduct research activities in the
country.

"Clear-cut regulations must determine which fields may be used
as the subject of research and which may not," Mochtar told The
Jakarta Post.

In practice, he said, officials often hesitated in making a
decision on whether foreign researchers could study a certain
issue or not even though it was not included in the list of
prohibited fields.

"Sometimes, a permit is refused only because we are afraid of
foreigners," Mochtar said.

He explained that even though they are no set regulations, the
existing bureaucratic procedures are complicated due to
inefficiency. He cited as an example that the approval for any
research proposal usually passes from desk to desk, through many
people, which is unnecessary.

Mochtar said his institute was one of the state institutions
assigned to consider whether the government should approve
proposals submitted by foreign researchers.

"In short LIPI has no problem with processing proposals
submitted by foreign researches. But the institution does not
make any conclusive decision as there are others who give their
opinion as well," he added.

State Minister for Research and Technology M. Hatta Rajasa
said on Monday foreign research applications were assessed by a
special team, which involved representatives from the Agency for
the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), LIPI, the
National Intelligence Agency (BIN), the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, the National Police, the Attorney General's Office and
the Ministry for Justice and Human Rights.

Six German students were detained for questioning last week
for an alleged immigration violation and for conducting research
without a permit.

The head of the research division at the Research Institution
for Education, Information, Economic and Social Affairs (LP3ES)
Muhammad Husain said that firm regulations were needed to prevent
any misuse of research permits by foreigners.

"All countries have their own regulations for foreign
researchers. If we enter a country on a tourist visa but are
working there, the local authorities will surely detain us," he
said.

But once the permit is issued, the government must fully
support the researchers' activities as their results may be
useful to the country.

Mochtar also stressed the importance of careful screening of
proposals, particularly if such research is feared to endanger
certain fields such as the national defense. "The problem is that
an ordinary case is frequently given special attention only
because of concern over foreigners' activities in the country,"
he said.

Unlike problems faced by foreigners, Mochtar said, local
researchers had no difficulty at all. "The only problem is money.
We are short of funds to finance research activities," he said.
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