Dan Eaton, Jakarta – When Wiranto, the former head of Indonesia's powerful armed forces, lost a senior cabinet job three years ago it was seen by some as a clear signal the military was being eased out of politics.

But now the institution that for decades played a central role in the life of the world's most populous Muslim nation despite allegations of brutality and human rights violations may gain new influence – thanks to the war on terror.

With two major bombings attributed to Islamic militants in the past year, pressure is mounting on President Megawati Sukarnoputri's secular government to strengthen the hand of the forces combating the threat.

"Politically there are some concerns on how the legal framework that we adopted after the Bali bombings adequately protects us from other possible attacks in the future," Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda told a news conference on Monday. "We need to balance our need for security and the ongoing democratic process in this country," he said.

Restricting influence

Reforms following the end in 1998 of autocratic former President Suharto's 32 years of iron rule – in which the armed forces played a key part – were aimed at restricting the military's internal security role and political clout as the country struggled to achieve full democracy.

Apart from Wiranto, who had been armed forces chief under Suharto, losing a senior cabinet post, new legislation strengthened the position of the police as well as making them independent of the military, and steps were taken to reduce the military's formal political role.

However, many analysts said the armed forces retained much power, as demonstrated by other former generals continuing to get cabinet positions.

And now the August 5 car-bombing of a luxury Jakarta hotel, killing 12 people and wounding 150, which came less than a year after the October Bali nightclub blasts, has some officials questioning the country's ability to cope without a stronger military role.

"The government will give a greater role, or appropriate space, for the TNI [armed forces] to carry out their duties ... although the focal point remains the police," one Indonesian newspaper quoted chief security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, a former general himself, as saying recently.

Comments like that have raised eyebrows. "The army wants nothing more than to regain total control over internal security. They are extremely dismissive, if not contemptuous, of the police in this regard," said Sidney Jones, Indonesia project head of the International Crisis Group.

Dangerous people

"Yet you can sympathise in a way with the desire [for stronger laws], because some extremely dangerous people are on the loose in Indonesia," she said. Laws passed after 202 people were killed in the Bali blasts gave police the ability to use intelligence reports as a basis for arrests, but stopped well short of the draconian internal security acts in neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore.

Calls to revise Indonesia's anti-terror laws have been backed by ministers and officials who met on the issue last week, but they have been vague on what precise changes are planned.

"The shift in the anti-terror laws is not clear at this stage," said Damien Kingsbury, head of Indonesian studies at Deakin University in Australia. "But it would seem any talk of increases to security powers regarding terrorism would implicitly include the military, at least through the [national intelligence agency] and Kopassus," Kingsbury said.

Elite Kopassus special forces, with which Australia recently renewed contacts to help fight terror in the region, came under fire for their alleged role in torture and abduction of dissidents during Suharto's rule. They were accused of numerous human rights violations from remote Papua province to East Timor and rebellious Aceh.

Yudhoyono told reporters on Thursday fears of abuse related to the tightening of security laws were misplaced. "There is no reason to be afraid that this will turn out to be excessive or go too far, let alone threaten democracy or violate human rights." But not everyone is convinced.

"The military could abuse new regulations, because they have the experience, they already own a powerful political machine with a wide territorial structure that reaches into the villages," said Munarman, head of the Legal Aid Institute.

Others said the country did not need tougher laws, but rather should improve existing institutions. "I think the main issue is to enhance the professionalism of institutions like the police," said Salahuddin Wahid, deputy head of the National Commission for Human Rights.