Major changes in draft of defense, security law
Major changes in draft of defense, security law
Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Ministry of Defense is drafting a new law to replace the
existing defense law aimed at upgrading coordination between the
defense and security functions of the Indonesian Military (TNI)
and the National Police, and putting the two forces under the
Office of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and
Security Affairs.
Speaking on the sidelines of a hearing with legislators on
Tuesday, Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono expected the draft
to be submitted to the House of Representatives within two
months.
"We're assessing the coordination and synchronization between
the TNI and the police. The two should be under the Coordinating
Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs because this
office deals with both defense and security issues," he told
reporters.
With centralized coordination, Juwono said the two forces
would cooperate better in securing and defending the country,
especially in combating activities such as human trafficking and
illegal logging.
Currently, the TNI and the police are under the direct
supervision of the President.
The two forces were once integrated under the name of
Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI), but were later separated in 1999.
Juwono's remark completely contradicted previous information
made available by a team drafting revisions to laws on defense
(No. 3/2002) and police (No. 32/2004), who said that the TNI and
the police would be put under the Ministry of Defense and
Ministry of Home Affairs respectively.
Contacted for comment, a confused team member said Juwono's
remark was likely to be incorrect.
The team member questioned the plan, saying the Ministry of
Defense would have no authority at all if the TNI was put under
the control of another ministry.
On the other hand, the team is currently in talks with the
Ministry of Home Affairs regarding the plan to put police under
their authority.
It is believed that the National Police would strongly object
to the plan because it would mean that a National Police chief
would be positioned under a home affairs minister, who are mostly
recruited from Army top brass.