Jakarta – Human rights watchdog Setara Institute has reiterated its call to give the nation's leading counterterrorism role to the police instead of the military, an option also supported by the majority of political factions at the House of Representatives.

Setara executive director Hendardi asserted that the Indonesian Military (TNI) was not a law enforcement agency with its own regulations, arguing that granting the military a leading counterterrorism role risked legal uncertainty.

"Thus, a statement by Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto that aimed to brush aside concerns over the involvement of the TNI in counterterrorism, as well as a claim by Gerindra politician Muhammad Syafii saying that all House factions had agreed on granting such a role to the TNI should be seen as an effort to weaken counterterrorism," Hendardi said in a statement.

In a move to win public support, Wiranto previously said the TNI would not misuse the power should a bill on counterterrorism, which is currently under deliberation, grant the military institution a leading role.

His statement came days after last week's twin suicide bombings in East Jakarta that left three policemen dead. The incident has also brought the deliberation of the bill, which aims to amend the 2003 Terrorism Law, back into the spotlight, with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo asking lawmakers to speed up the deliberation. (msa/wit)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/05/29/police-must-take-lead-on-counterterrorism-setara.html