Mega opens Batam `school for spies'
Mega opens Batam `school for spies'
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Batam
President Megawati Soekarnoputri said knowledge and skills on
intelligence-gathering have become a need in everyday life, and
therefore it was essential for the country to master them.
In a ground-breaking ceremony to begin the construction of
what is being termed an "intelligence academy" here, the
President said that in today's global world, the use of
intelligence expertise could not be limited solely to the
military, police and other government organizations, but was also
needed for civilian purposes.
"Intelligence-gathering is widely practiced in economic
fields, such as trade and finance, both at the national and
international levels," Megawati said in her speech.
During the ceremony, the President said that for the first
academic year, slated to commence in September, the academy's
intake of around 50 students would study at the University of
Indonesia (UI) in Depok until the academy's buildings were
completed.
The academy will be open to the public, and many of the
students will come from foreign countries, especially those in
Southeast Asia.
"Many are curious about this field of study, which for the
first time will be open to the public," she added.
The academy will have undergraduate and master's programs,
with the undergraduate program being based in Sentul, Bogor, West
Java, and the master's program in Batam.
The construction of the buildings for the academy's branches
in both Sentul and Batam is slated to be completed within the
next 10 months.
The curriculum of the academy has been drawn up by the State
Intelligence Agency (BIN) in cooperation with UI and the Bandung
Institute of Technology (ITB).
The curriculum will cover information-gathering techniques
ranging from surveillance to high-tech tapping systems, according
to an official at BIN, Subiyanto.
It also covers the history of intelligence, current
intelligence issues, the principles of intelligence analysis and
religious extremism.
"The most important thing is how we gather information to
prevent incidents from happening or to ensure that a business
succeeds as planned," Subiyanto said, on the sidelines of the
ceremony.
The official further said that the first year's intake would
include a number of foreign students from the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), officers from the TNI, police
and other government organizations, and a number of civilians.
In her speech, the President said that the intelligence
academy should also help improve the capabilities of intelligence
officers here, citing the increasing threats to the security of
Indonesia and the world as a whole.
"It is important that we advance our abilities to master and
employ intelligence in our daily lives," Megawati said.
The school in Batam is located on a 10-hectare site. The
complex will include a library, coding laboratory, and facilities
for outdoor activities, such as a swimming pool and firing range.
The academy's campus in Sentul will be located on 5 hectares
of land, and will provide similar facilities.
BIN chief Hendropriyono said that the construction work was
being funded by the State Budget. He refused, however, to say how
much it would cost.