Ministry Gets Involved in National Security Bill
Wednesday, 14 February, 2007 | 13:07 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs has finally got involved to handle the polemic of the National Security Draft Bill.

The Ministry’s task is to bring together national security perceptions of the police and the Defense Department.

“We (the Defense Department and the police) have already conferred,” said Lieutenant General Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Secretary General of the Defense Department, in Jakarta yesterday (13/2).

The deliberation was carried out between Indonesian Chief of Police General Sutanto, Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono and several officials from the two institutions at the residence of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Puri Cikeas, last weekend.

The president summoned the leaders of the two institutions.

Regarding the matter, Head of Public Relations at National Police (Polri) HQ, Gen. Sisno Adiwinoto, commented briefly, “I don’t understand the matter. Political affairs are handled by the National Chief of Police,” he said.

Sjafrie said that after there was an understanding between the police and his department, all related institutions would discuss the draft bill together.

The Defense Department’s draft will only be a reference during the discussion.

“Not a formal reference, but only for the discussion introduction,” said this former Jakarta Regional Military Commander.

A number of politicians at the House of Representatives (DPR) have also rejected the appointment of the two institutions’ leaders without its approval.

The provision is also included in the draft.

The Defense Department did acknowledge that it had in fact already involved the police in the draft discussions.

Dian Yuliastuti and Yopiandhi