Government submits to House bill on National Police
JAKARTA (JP): The government submitted to the House of Representatives (DPR) on Thursday the National Police review bill regulating the Police's independence and primary duties in maintaining nationwide security.
The new bill has been prepared in review of the 1997 law, which placed the National Police under the authority of the Indonesian Military (TNI), and in observance of the 2000 MPR Decree regarding the separation of the Police from the military and their independent roles.
Minister of Justice and Human Rights Baharuddin Lopa said the review bill was submitted less than six months after President Abdurrahman Wahid issued an instruction last October to create a law regulating the separation of the Police and TNI as stipulated by the MPR decree.
"The bill is a reflection of changes in the reform era. We want the National Police to be professional in maintaining security at home," he said while addressing the House's plenary session here.
Accompanying the minister in the plenary session was National Police Chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro.
The President's instruction was issued following the House's opposition to Bimantoro's appointment as new police chief last September, replacing Gen. Rusdihardjo. He defended that the decision to replace Rusdihardjo without prior approval from the House was possible because the MPR ruling for the new mechanism has not yet been legislated.
Lopa said the bill stipulated three substantial changes, relating to the National Police's structure, function and appointment of the police chief.
"The bill regulates that the National Police is independent, but structurally under the President's supervision. The police are in charge of maintaining security and order nationwide and the President appoints the National police chief after securing the House's approval," he said.
Asked after the plenary session about his programs as a minister, Lopa said that the people would not need a great number of laws and regulations, but instead required legal certainty and justice.
He said one of the programs he would immediately instigate would be strict action against "mischievous justice" to help create the legal certainty.
Separately, legislators called on the government on Thursday to transfer hundreds of thousands of the Army's low-ranking officers to the National Police which has limited personnel.
"The Army's infantry battalions have more than 200,000 personnel who could be transferred to reinforce the National Police.
"We do not need a strong defense force during this peaceful time in the Asian region. This is for efficiency so that the police will not need additional funds in its annual budget to recruit new personnel," Aberson Marle Sihaloho, a member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction said.
He cited that a similar policy has long been applied in the United States.
If the proposal is approved the National Police will have an adequate number of personnel to serve the population, he said.
Aberson explained that the police currently have around 230,000 personnel to serve 230 million people nationwide. The current ratio is 1 police officer for every 1,000 people, while a ratio of 1:500 is considered ideal, he added.
Air Commodore Bachrum Rasir, a member of the House's Commission I on defense, security and foreign affairs, concurred with the proposal and said that it should come from the House because both the Army and the National Police would oppose it. (rms)