DPR must reject security bill

DPR must reject security bill

From Media Indonesia

As a layman I am concerned about the state security bill (RUU
KKN) that is currently being debated by the House of
Representatives (DPR) without taking into consideration the
community's objections to the bill.

We have had enough violence these days involving the
Indonesian Military in several regions -- Aceh, Ambon, East Timor
and Irian Jaya. Just imagine how many more people will become
victims of military actions if the military is given the absolute
power and extraordinary right to handle the state's security,
disregarding existing laws.

I cannot believe that the Habibie regime is quite ready to
design a security bill which empowers the military to punish
people without giving them the right to a fair trial. The bill
allows the military to arrest, detain or to put someone under
house arrest or to exile him without trial.

The bill does not guarantee the security of society, neither
does it protect the rights of the people -- the children and the
families. The bill even gives the right to the military to
confiscate the people's property, which means that the notary's
job is replaced by military personnel with the rank of major.
Moreover, all state courts can be replaced by military tribunals.

This view alone is enough to make our hair stand on end,
because the bill, when implemented, has the potential to change
the status of the country from a lawful state to a military
junta.

As head of the government, Habibie, who lived in a foreign
country for 20 years, should not necessarily lose his
sensitivity of the people's interests. It will be wise,
therefore, for Habibie's government to withdraw the security bill
to prevent the nation from further disintegration. And the House
should strongly reject the bill. Forget about the government's
promise to give the legislators a severance allowance of Rp 150
million at the cost of the country's gloomy future.

SULISTYA PUTRA

Jakarta