Govt plans to revive notorious agency
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
In a bid to prevent future terrorist attacks, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered the country's governors on Thursday to revive a regional intelligence agency that once helped Soeharto's New Order regime silence opposition voices.
Through the revived Regional Intelligence Coordinating Agency (Bakorinda), the governors will have access to intelligence reports from the police, the military and the National Intelligence Agency (BIN).
The governors will be responsible for coordinating the security authorities in preventing terrorist attacks, and will report directly report to the President any suspicious activity.
Susilo issued the order during a meeting with governors from around the country at the State Palace in Jakarta.
"President Susilo stressed the importance of preventing terrorist attacks at the provincial level .... All governors should revive the Bakorinda to improve coordination between security authorities and local leaders," Minister of Home Affairs M. Ma'ruf said during a press briefing.
Before being scrapped following the fall of Soeharto in 1998, the agency monitored public activities, particularly any activity seen as having the potential to undermine the government.
Susilo was the TNI chief of sociopolitical affairs when Soeharto resigned in the face of widespread demonstrations against his rule.
"The agency was dissolved because it was closely related to the military. Its reinstatement is not aimed at frightening people, but rather to improve the coordination among our security authorities. We cannot just rely on the police and BIN," said Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi.
Indonesia has suffered numerous bombings since 2000, with the most recent in the Central Sulawesi town of Tentena killing 21 people. Intelligence bodies have come under criticism for failing to anticipate and prevent the string of attacks.
The government is still working out the details on the future structure of Bakorinda and its supporting arms.
Sudi said there was no reason this step should cause suspicion among the public, describing the agency as more of a coordinating body.
Gorontalo Governor Fadel Muhammad said the President also asked the governors to set up "terror desks" that would form the regional branches of the National Unity Agency.
"Most of the governors, however, objected to the request for fear of overlapping duties with Bakorinda. We suggested the terror desks be merged with Bakorinda, and the President seemed to agree," said Fadel.
Ma'ruf earlier announced plans to add counterterrorism duties to the National Unity Agency in each regional administration, in order to improve coordination in the fight against terrorism.
In other matters, President Susilo instructed the governors to simplify their bureaucracies in order to attract more investment, and to scrap regional regulations seen as unfavorable to business.