Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – A controversial Bill, being drafted, is set to revive the supremacy of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) and even allow its commander to declare an emergency without first seeking the President's approval.

Many see it as a sign that the once-powerful military is capitalising on the frail and divided civilian leadership to make a comeback.

A 42-member team made up of government officials, military officers and academics has been working on the Bill for nearly two years. But progress has been slow as the team members have found it difficult to agree on some contentious articles.

One of these proposes that the TNI commander be given the authority to deploy personnel in an emergency situation and to impose an emergency status in troubled regions without prior approval of the President.

Some members have complained that the TNI clearly wants more clout for itself and its commander. Military analyst Kusnanto Anggoro, who is on the team, told The Straits Times that he felt there was a strong view within the army "that it must be given discretion in emergency situations".

Paradoxically, the Bill had originally set out to curb the military's might and put it under the defence minister and the President, who is the supreme commander of the country's armed forces.

But in the lengthy drafting process, the military members of the team have hijacked the discussion, overshadowing the Defence Ministry which was supposed to lead the process.

The military reportedly replaced its members on the team with more conservative officers to facilitate its agenda, a move that has caused a rift within the team.

Political analyst Arbi Sanit of the University of Indonesia warned: "The military is testing how far it can go to make a comeback because the civilian government is at a low ebb. The civilian leadership is very dependent on the military to safeguard its power in the face of mounting opposition."

After the Suharto regime fell in 1998, anti-military sentiment was high. The TNI was then accused of having abused its territorial function to keep its grip on politics during the 32 years of the administration. But observers said that since President Megawati Sukarnoputri took office in 2001, the military has been making a quiet comeback.

The hardliners have been revving up to revive the military's role in maintaining domestic security, which was handed to the police in 2000.

Last week, the Army Chief of Staff said the country's security problems required the TNI to take on a greater role in the domestic security. General Ryamizard Ryacudu suggested that Indonesia's unique situation would require the TNI to take a greater role in "preventing the country from disintegrating".

Jockeying, in turn, to consolidate its position, the police leadership is continuing efforts to convince the public that the cops alone were up to the task of keeping order within the country and that the TNI should concentrate on defence.

Supporting the TNI's claim, Mr Sudjati Djiwandono, an analyst for the thinktank Ridep Institute, pointed out: "In most countries, it is the military that has the capability to tackle emergency situations. But since its split from the police, the military has been in a dilemma because it has no role in domestic security. The Bill once passed should resolve this problem."

Former TNI chief of general affairs Agus Wijoyo, however, said it was unlikely that the military was trying to make a comeback. He told The Straits Times: "We are in a transitional stage of developing a new system, which often creates ambivalent and confusing situations. But the cost and the risk are too high to return to the way things were."