Tripartite force gets support from city councillors
JAKARTA (JP): Councillors supported on Sunday the city administration's plan to establish a tripartite force to improve its performance in maintaining security and order in the capital.
Contacted separately by The Jakarta Post, United Development Party (PPP) councillor Syarifien Maloko and his Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) counterpart Audy I.Z. Tambunan said the administration needed help from the city military command and the city police headquarters to deal with complex social and security matters in the capital.
"While security is still a sensitive issue in the capital, the administration has a limited capacity to cope with the capital's social and security problems," Syarifien, deputy chairman of the city council's Commission A for administrative affairs, said while raising the issue of poorly trained Hansip (civilian guards) and city public order officials.
"Therefore, the establishment of the tripartite force is a must," he added.
Audy, chairman of the PDI Perjuangan faction, separately said that cooperation among respective parties was needed to maintain security in the capital, including the military.
"The military presence is still needed since they have knowledge about security matters.
Civilians still need their expertise to maintain security and order in the capital," he said.
Both Syarifien and Audy were commenting on the administration's plan to form a tripartite force, comprising of military, police and city administration members, which would be permanently deployed to maintain security and order in the capital.
Under the proposed scheme, security affairs in the capital will no longer be the sole responsibility of the city police headquarters but will also involve the city military command and the city administration.
Syarifien said security affairs in the capital were important as they also have an affect on the security affairs of other parts of the country.
"The capital, which is the center of the country's governance, is the center of political struggle in the country. Security affairs in the capital will be a barometer for the country's overall security condition," he said.
However, Syarifien, reiterated that the tripartite force should not provide any room for the military to regain control of security affairs in the capital, which would lead to a return of militarism.
"The city police should remain in control of security affairs. The military should be deployed in a proportional manner, when the situation grows worse and the police are not able to handle the situation," he said.
Observers have criticized the presence of military personnel, for example, in handling protests in the capital, saying they were not well trained to face civilian protesters. As a result, the protests often ended in violence.
Meanwhile, Audy suggested that the cooperation must still be under civilian control.
"To avoid the military's interference in civilian affairs, the police or the governor should take control over the security cooperation.
"The military personnel should be deployed in proportion to the city's security situation," he said.
Separately, Jakarta Police spokesman Supt. Muhammad Nur H. Usman conceded that the plan was an adaption of the old scheme, in which the military took part in the capital's security affairs.
"It's like in justisi (judicial) operations, in which all components including the police, prosecutors and military personnel are involved.
"The scheme was abolished after the separation of the police force from the Indonesian Military last year," he said.
He, however, welcomed the plan to reinvolve the military in the capital's security system.
"If the plan is carried out, the police will have quick back up from the military during chaotic situations as the three parties will be well coordinated," he said. (asa)