Government to give more power to TNI

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

In a response to the rampant terror attacks plaguing the country in the past year, the government has decided to give the Indonesian Military (TNI) some of its pre-reform era powers back.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Thursday that the government would empower the military to detect and find possible terror threats that needed an immediate response.

"There has been a long-standing impression that the TNI should only handle external defense while internal security is in the hands of the police. This is not exactly consistent with the law," Susilo said without elaborating at a press conference after presiding over a ministerial meeting on political and security affairs.

In the spirit of the reform movement, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) decided in 2000 to restrict the military to a defense-of-the-borders only role and entrusted internal security to the police. The ensuing police law and defense law confirmed the clear-cut division of the forces, which marked at least a symbolic end to the military's leading role in the country's affairs.

The National Police fell under the armed forces, or ABRI, before that.

Susilo said the government intended to provide the TNI with a greater role in internal security due to the police's lack of personnel, and because the military had some of its personnel underutilized.

"The government will give a greater role, or appropriate space, for the TNI to carry our their duties as long as it is related to national interests, although the focal point remains the police," Susilo said.

He did not elaborate on the extent of the military's role in the fight against terrorism, or how terror would be defined.

The government, Susilo said, would still consult the House of Representatives or the MPR over the issue.

It remains unclear whether the military's greater role in security affairs will be part of the amendment to the Antiterrorism Law No. 15/2003, which was discussed during a meeting hosted by Susilo.

Also attending the meeting were TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, justice minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra, defense minister Matori Abdul Djalil, Attorney General M.A. Rachman and National Intelligence Body chief Hendropriyono.

Endriartono, Matori and Hendropriyono had thrown their weight behind a proposal to adopt a Singapore-like internal security act in a bid to combat terrorism. Hendropriyono is also apparently seeking greater authority for intelligence officers to make arrests, similar to the way they did just that during the New Order regime of former president Soeharto.

Susilo said that the antiterrorism law needed revising. It was passed in the wake of the Bali bombings, but, according to the retired army officer, needed to be made "more effective" in preventing terror attacks.

"We will do it as soon as possible. We cannot wait because terrorism is a real threat and we should not be in a weak position," he said, saying that the government had evaluated the application of the law following the Bali bombings.

As many as nine articles in the law are expected to be revised in a bid to make it stronger, Susilo said.

The articles deal with preemptive action against any form of terror and the use of intelligence reports as evidence to charge suspects.

Susilo said they also discussed the need for a drastic improvement of human resources, training, systems, infrastructure and funds in the country's efforts to fight terrorism.

All the suggestions will be brought before the full Cabinet next week.

Yusril added that the revision of the law would provide more room for the police to investigate people based on allegations, without having to wait for a court order or a warrant.

Separately, Muhammadiyah chairman Ahmad Syafii Ma'arif said that he agreed with the government's plan to revise the law, but he warned against the adoption of an internal security act, as it could infringe on human rights.

Muhammadiyah is the second largest Muslim organization, which claims 30 million followers.

Another noted Muslim figure, Ulil Abshar Abdalla, called on people to remain vigilant about the planned revision of the law as it was prone to human rights abuses.

The country used to have a draconian antisubversion law, which was widely abused by the New Order administration to oppress and imprison anyone it considered a political opponent.