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.