Govt plans to revive notorious agency
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.