Golkar to draft 'security' decree

Golkar to draft 'security' decree

JAKARTA (JP): The ruling Golkar plans to draw up its own draft
of a state policy that would grant a president preemptive powers
against subversive activities, its chairman said yesterday.

Harmoko said the political group had learned of and been
concerned about various mass riots in the past and decided to
submit its draft of the policy to the People's Consultative
Assembly (MPR) when it convenes next March.

Harmoko's statement came on the heel of recent controversy
over the three political organizations' motion to reintroduce the
1988 decree of the People's Consultative Assembly which would
give additional power to the next president elected in March next
year.

However, Harmoko said that Golkar's draft would be "totally
different" from the 1988 decree.

"Indonesia will face stiffer challenges and the potential for
social disturbances in the coming globalization and trade
liberalization era," he told reporters after receiving a
delegation of Golkar-affiliated ulemas.

Harmoko, who is also State Minister of Special Assignments,
said Indonesia therefore needed a new policy that would prepare
it for the new challenges, and which would protect national
development programs.

Though claiming the content of Golkar's security draft would
be different from the 1988 MPR decree, Harmoko admitted that it
was "in the same spirit".

"The decree aims at preparing (the nation) for 21st century
challenges and disturbances," he said.

The 1988 decree granted the President the authority to take
preemptive measures against security disturbances and subversive
activities. It was adopted as part of Indonesia's Broad
Guidelines of State Policies in 1988, but was later dropped from
the guidelines in 1993.

The decree was first adopted in 1966 and was maintained until
the 1988 general session of MPR. It formed the basis for the now
defunct Kopkamtib (Operational Command for the Restoration of
Security and Order) which, in the 1970s, was given the task of
handling major social and political crises. The body was not only
successful in fulfilling its objectives, but was also feared.
(imn)