Robert Karniol, Bangkok – Indonesia's new government appears intent on completing intelligence-related reforms, including an expanded role for the civilian National Intelligence Agency (Badan Inteligen Nasional, or BIN).

"The president has determined that the BIN head will be at the same level as cabinet members so that BIN can cover the whole intelligence community," AM Hendropriyono told the media in Jakarta after he took his appointment as agency chief on 12 August. Hendropriyono, a former transmigration minister under President BJ Habibie, was named for the post on 9 August by President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Intelligence reform was pushed by President Abdurrahman Wahid, replaced by Soekarnoputri late last month following his impeachment.

This included a July 1999 reorganisation of the military's Strategic Intelligence Agency (Badan Inteligen Strategis, or BAIS) and the creation earlier this year of an intelligence bureau within the Department of Defence (DoD), the Directorate General for Defence Strategy. Wahid's main aims were to gain more control over the armed forces, to help ease the military out of its political role and to strengthen the DoD.

The BIN should see its responsibilities as a co-ordinating agency enhanced and its operational capabilities significantly expanded.

The latter involves taking over many of the domestic intelligence collection activities currently undertaken by BAIS, the National Police and the attorney-general's office – including the highly political monitoring of officials suspected of corruption. It is also intended to provide clearer mission mandates to reduce overlapping activities and any conflicts over jurisdiction that may result.

In a parallel development, the DoD's new intelligence bureau should eventually establish sections at regional level. The process partly aims to make BAIS an organisation that focuses purely on military intelligence, contrasting with its traditionally all-pervasive role.

However, no timetable for the changes has been announced.