Intelligence in the regions?
Intelligence in the regions?
From Suara Pembaruan
I disagree with the statement of Vice President Hamzah Haz at
Police Headquarters on Nov. 28, to the effect that he did not
object to the idea of expanding the state intelligence agency
(BIN) throughout the country. This is totally ridiculous.
It is incomprehensible to expand BIN's network in the regions.
Instead, BIN, in conjunction with the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, should have its representatives in foreign countries all
over the world. Its tasks include, among other things, to
maintain the Indonesian Republic's existence and credibility as a
member of world society.
BIN also functions as counter-espionage against foreign
intelligence operatives operating in the republic. Look at the
CIA of the United States and Mossad of Israel, for example.
Planning and maintaining its existence in the regions, BIN
will only make itself a local champion. In fact, the tasks of
countering and eliminating both internal and external threats
have been accommodated by the National Security Service (DKN), an
intelligence service under the auspices of the Ministry of
Defense. The areas of responsibility of this service has been
shared among various institutions put in place in the provinces
such as regional military commands, resort military commands,
rayon military commands and the non-commissioned officer posted
in village chief's offices.
The present military intelligence is called Bais, an agency
under the military commander-in-chief, carrying out the task as a
combat intelligent.
Investigation of breaches of the civil and criminal codes by
individuals or groups can be performed by the Police, public
prosecutors, the Customs and Excise Office as well as the
Immigration Office. These are grouped in the Combined
Investigation Force.
If only our leaders were highly capable and smart, they could
establish a competent intelligence service within their budget
constraints, i.e. by utilizing the resources already available in
the country.
SLAMET ABADI, Jakarta