Megawati gets tough on drug dealers

Megawati gets tough on drug dealers

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Criticized for its futile attempts to curb drug trafficking,
the government has now decided to change tack.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri has ordered National
Intelligence Agency chief A.M. Hendropriyono to take charge of
coordinating the antidrug activities undertaken by all state
institutions.

So far, this job has been the responsibility of the National
Narcotics Coordination Agency (BKNN), which was inaugurated in
July 2000 by Megawati, the then vice president.

The BKNN, which is directed by Comr. Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, was
founded after the government learned that between 1997 and 1999
the number of drug abuse cases had risen by 100 percent. The BKNN
is answerable directly to the President.

However, the abuse of drugs remains as rampant as ever.

When opening a national seminar on drugs at the State Palace,
Megawati was unable to hide her disappointment with the BKNN's
poor performance. She has now declared war on drug trafficking.

"There should be better coordination between the national
police, prosecutors, customs and the immigration office to smash
drug-trafficking rings and resolve the problem through the legal
system," she said reading from a prepared text.

The President looked unusually serious and often departed from
her text to add her own spontaneous comments and emphasis certain
points.

"If necessary, I will ask for the support of the TNI
(Indonesian Military). That's why I asked the TNI commander to be
here so he can also hear what I have to say," Megawati said.

But the President did not announce the abolition of the BKNN,
and instead said she would give it the authority to act and take
legal action against offenders rather than just undertaking
coordination jobs.

BKNN chief Da'i Bachtiar, whom Megawati has named the sole
candidate for the post of police chief, said in his defense that
the agency was ineffective because of the lack of authority to
take action.

"I am glad the agency will eventually be armed with the
requisite powers," he said.

The President also voiced her disappointment over the light
sentences meted out to convicted drug traffickers.

"There have been many raids. Some people were arrested but
then released. Or, when they were taken to court, they were also
released. Whose fault is this?" she asked.

The President reiterated her call for the death sentence for
drug producers and major pushers.

"Major offenders, like producers and dealers, should be
punished by death. For me, it is better to have a person suffer
capital punishment than to see the whole community become
addicted to drugs," she remarked.

Harsh punishment for drug offenders was only be fair because
otherwise the problem would remain and more young people would
lose their futures to drugs, she said.

"Without trying to interfere, I would urge the Chief Justice
and all legal officials to reflect on the dangers of drugs for
our children and grandchildren when handing down verdicts," she
said.

Indonesia has become well-known not only as a place of transit
for international traffickers, but also as a producing country.

Megawati said she was ashamed of how Indonesia was currently
regarded in the international community as far as drugs were
concerned.

"I was informed that an Indonesian woman was arrested in
another country for drug trafficking. I was so embarrassed I felt
like fainting when I heard that," she remarked.