Govt submits draft bills on narcotics, transmigration

JAKARTA (JP): The government submitted to the House of Representatives yesterday bills designed to ratify the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and one on transmigration.

The draft laws add to the 20 other government-sponsored bills legislators will have to decide on by the end of their term of office in August.

Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman said while submitting the draft ratification bill that the government had found the existing laws on these issues inadequate for combating the illegal trade of addictive substances.

"Our law on narcotics and the draft bill on psychotropic substances currently under deliberation does not discuss in detail the traffic check of addictive drugs," Oetojo told the House plenary session chaired by Deputy Speaker Soetedjo.

Deliberations on a new bill on narcotics, a revision of the old law passed in 1976, and another bill on psychotropic substances are underway.

Oetojo said there were fears Indonesia had become a target destination for narcotic and psychotropic drug traffickers rather than a mere transit point.

"Geographically, Indonesia is a strategic place due to its proximity to two continents, two oceans and the Golden Triangle area," Oetojo said.

The Golden Triangle, the remote hills on the borders of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, is believed to be the world's largest opium producing region.

"The abuse and illicit traffic of addictive drugs have threatened our security and defense and will adversely affect our development programs," Oetojo said.

The draft bill contains 15 items, including the convention's sphere of influence, crimes and sanctions, the bill's jurisdiction, extradition, mutual legal aid between the convention's ratifying countries, trade documents and export labeling.

The convention enables ratifying countries to extradite drug criminals, work together through international and regional institutions, allow ship examinations and other forms of conventional cooperation.

Indonesia took part in a UN conference in Vienna in November 1988 which agreed to the convention on narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. Indonesia signed the convention six months later.

Later yesterday, the minister of transmigration told the plenary session the new transmigration law would be made "simpler" than the old one passed in 1972.

"The bill will contain only the main ideas in order that it can last long and anticipate rapid changes in the future," Siswono said.

Excluded from the new bill would be the security and defense interests in transmigration. (amd)