Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – A challenge to gain the trust of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo awaits Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan following his controversial and politically rocky nomination to replace Lt. Gen. (ret) Sutiyoso to lead the country's spy agency.
The current National Police deputy chief may face little opposition, if any at all, from lawmakers for him to become the next chief of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN), but his ability to gain the trust of Jokowi, who will be the sole user of his services, is at stake.
Budi is slated to convince lawmakers from the House of Representatives Commission I that oversees BIN during a fit-and-proper test next Wednesday upon Jokowi's request for discretion from the legislative institution as mandated by Law No. 17/2011 on BIN.
Commission I chairman Abdul Kharis Almasyhari said that all preparations were set for the scheduled event, the results of which would have little impact on the outcome of Budi's nomination because the final decision belongs to Jokowi.
Kharis, a politician from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), said he was aware of the controversy that continues to haunt Budi, predicting that Commission I lawmakers might raise the issue when interviewing him. "But again, the final decision will be completely up to Pak Jokowi himself because our role is only to give an opinion on the President's choice. We don't get to choose," he said.
Known as a close associate of the matron of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Megawati Soekarnoputri, Budi has become part of the political decision-making transactions between Jokowi and Megawati, at least since his failed nomination to be National Police chief last year following public objections because of his alleged involvement in graft.
The man who was adjutant to Megawati during her tenure as president from 2001 to 2004 again gained public attention, this time as a possible candidate for a Cabinet post, when Jokowi decided to undertake another Cabinet reshuffle in July.
After more than a month of deliberations, which also included political discussions with related parties, Jokowi finally bowed down to Megawati's earlier demand and officially sent a letter notifying the House about his decision to nominate Budi to be the new BIN chief.
Regardless of the political process behind Budi's nomination, the future of the role of BIN as the "ears and eyes of the president" fully relies on Jokowi and Budi.
"The intelligence agency is like no other institution," said the former chief of the Military's Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS), Soleman Ponto. "No one can be between an intelligence body and its user and, in the case of BIN, the single user is the president. Thus, what to do with Pak BG [Budi Gunawan] as BIN chief afterwards fully depends on Pak Jokowi as the agent holder."
Soleman highlighted the importance of the BIN chief building good relations. "Because relations lead to access. The more access Pak BG has, including to his user [Jokowi], the more he can do to carry out his job."
Defense analysts have concurred with Soleman, highlighting that the first "tough job" that awaits Budi will be to mend relations with Jokowi.
"Pak Budi Gunawan will certainly experience a psychological gap when interacting with Pak Jokowi because of the confusion in the past that lead to his failed nomination as National Police chief, as well as because of the political interactions between Bu Mega and Pak Jokowi," said political analyst Kusnanto Anggoro.
Kusnanto, however, was confident that the relations between Jokowi and Budi would have little impact on BIN as an institution, although a good relationship between the two was crucial because the spy body would continue to function.
"Among the things that Pak BG can do later to improve the institution is introduce a new way of thinking to the intelligence operation so that BIN can be outward looking, as well as make use of technological development to support intelligence work."
Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/09/05/smooth-sailing-expected-budi-gunawan-house.html