REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, By: Toas H *) intelligence observer residing in Jakarta.

The House of Representatives has formed a special team to monitor the work of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN). Elnino MH Mohi, a member of House Commission I, which oversees defense and foreign affairs, said the monitoring team was expected to help Indonesian intelligence gathering by taking stock of the issues faced by BIN.

The special team functioned both as an advocate for Indonesia’s intelligence service and as a critic of its performance, he said on Tuesday (www.thejakartapost.com).

The team could also detect financial difficulties related to BIN that could hamper the agency's work and suggest budget increases. Poor intelligence-sharing among different authorities, such as the police, the Indonesian Military and the Attorney General's Office, is believed to hamper the country's intelligence efforts. "We have high hopes for the special team. We also hope colleagues at BIN will be welcoming," said the Gerindra party politician.

The special team consists of 14 House members: Mahfudz Siddiq (as leader of the team), Tantowi Yahya, Asril Tandjung, Hanafi Rais, TB Hasanudin, A Fernandez, Ahmad Muzani, Joko Pujianto, Budiyotastri, Syaiful Bahri Ansori, Ahmad Zainuddin, A. Dimyati Natakusumah, Supiadin Ari Saputra and M Arief Suditomo.

A basic question is what the specialties or the capabilities from 14 house members who is assigned at a special team have. These question is a very urgent because talking about intelligence organization and intelligence operation must be had a special science and a special art.

What can they do?

The intention of the House of Representative to form a special team to monitor the work of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) must be appreciated due to a member of House Commission I, which oversees defense and foreign affairs believe through their efforts has formed a special team could be triggered the intelligence’s achievement more better than ever.

One of reasons forming a special team is poor intelligence-sharing among different authorities, such as the police, the Indonesian Military and the Attorney General's Office is a true, but a special team must be known that any differences core of business among intelligence community. For example, BIN has a main task is to keep and to guarantee the implementation of state policy, police through Security Intelligence Agency (Baintelkam) and Police Intelligence Agency (BIK) have a main task on criminal and security intelligence, the Military Intelligence (BAIS) has focused on information gathering such as enemy (intention, morale, strenght, capability and weaknesses), terrain, and weather, and the Attorney General's Intelligence has focused on law enforcement intelligence.

Based on State Intelligence Act No 17/2011, the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) is an intelligence community’s coordinator. Actually, the role of BIN to implement as an intelligence coordinator so far running well, even though several an intelligence observer, a member of the House of Representative, NGO and academia have their opinion that actually coordination mechanism among an intelligence communities don’t run well. They have been reviewing that the coordination imbroglio just happen among an intelligence communities so that the excess of coordination imbroglio echoes conjures security gap and its might be triggered terror groups, narcotics cartel and separatist group have a chance to launching their attack.

According to a former of the head of Military Intelligence (BAIS), Soleman B Ponto said that the forming of a special team to monitor intelligence communities work don’t have any advantage because the main task of a special team is contradicted with the principles of intelligence such as the intelligence officer just take assignment from a single user and reported it to a single user. This condition would be an obstacle for a special team to do their jobs effectively.

Another principle of intelligence said Soleman B Ponto that something that is not visible is not necessarily non-existent or otherwise. This principle would make the intelligence apparatus in order to hide the real work that is not easy to get information from the intelligence apparatus, while a special team must be taken a secret information. This condition will be difficult because the intelligence apparatus had reported to President on secret information. In the end, a special team could be taken just only a generally information.

Soleman B Ponto asserted that a special team could be targeted by foreign intelligence agency which is operated in Indonesia to take secret information from these team. Does not rule out the possibility, Soleman B Ponto said a special team which is formed by the House of Representative might operation target which is done by foreign intelligence agency. If it is happened, a special team could take foreign intelligence form operations ranging from the most delicate to the most rugged as kidnapping against  a special team member’s , abduction and murder of their family members in order to obtain information desired. On the other hand, a special team will also be the “scapegoat” if leaking information just happens.

Limited Assignment

As a consequence of the act of State Intelligence, parliament attempts to form a special team to monitor BIN’s work is a right path. Talking about intelligence world, the presence of a special team must be limited to do their assignment. The writer has an opinion a suitable assignment for a special team are to monitor job description and the fulfill of intelligence officer at any division, to review an organization structure, to monitor financial difficulties, an advocate for Indonesia’s intelligence service, an analyzing for Indonesia’s intelligence practice and education, to strengthen Poor intelligence-sharing among different authorities, as a critic of its performance and a special team could be taken apart at fit and proper test to fulfill intelligence position.

Last but not least, a special team should also be taken sworn not to divulge state secrets, do not ask too deeply related intelligence operations and a special team should also give priority to national interests and safety of the nation above everything.

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