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. (02)