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)