Indonesian government is currently discussing a bill on safeguarding vital objects throughout the country. The discussion is to highlight reconsideration and criteria of vital objects that will be necessarily safeguarded.
Indonesian President will soon sign the bill that will be legislated into presidential decree.
It was said by Mr. Sudi Silalahi of the coordinating ministry of politics and security during a close-door meeting of coordination to discuss the bill on vital objects including the revision of law no.15/2003 on terrorism taking place in the office of the ministry on Jl Medan Merdeka Jakarta (January28).
Indonesian military (TNI) will give full support to safeguarding all vital objects throughout the country such as the facilities belonging to PT Arun LNG, PT ExxonMobil, The hydropower plant (PLTA) Sigura-gura, PT Inalum, PT Caltex Dumai, Kilang Minyak Plaju and Gerong, the coal-fired power plant (PLTU) Suralaya, PT Dirgantara Indonesia Bandung, Cilacap oil refinery, PLTU Paiton, Petrokimia Gresik, PT Badak LNG Bontang, PT Vico Muara Badak, Unocal Sangata, PT UP V Pertamina Balikpapan, PT Nikel Soroako, PT Freeport Indonesia Tembaga Pura, and PT Puspiptek Serpong. About three battalions of troops are prepared to safeguard various facilities in 16 locations.
TNI Commander General Endriartono Sutarto, National Police Chief General Da'i Bahctiar, minister of energy and mineral resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro, and minister Hari Sabarno attended the coordination meeting.
"The agenda of meeting is to discuss and highlight the authority of safeguarding the vital objects between TNI and National Police, and criteria on vital objects. The criterion of being vital has changed from time to time since a facility, which used to be regarded as a vital object, may no longer be as vital as it was. There is also a possibility that certain facility that was previously excluded from the category of vital object can now be included in the list of vital objects.
Safeguarding operational facilities should actually be of the responsibility of companies that own them. But in a number of areas prone to security disturbances, the safeguarding of facilities in location should be of the accountability of the national police of Indonesia. In case the police are in lack of personnel, the TNI is ready to backup the police in doing their job of safeguarding.
"The safeguarding of facilities that has so far been under the control of the TNI, is currently under the process of transition," said Sudi. But after the period of transition, the TNI will remain the main source of personnel to back up the police in safeguarding the vital objects and other facilities all over the country. Before, in a dramatic about face form statements made, Indonesia's Commander of the Armed Forces (or TNI), General Endriartono Sutarto said that the TNI is still capable and ready to assist in securing the nation's vital strategic natural resource and infrastructure projects.
The force available to mobilise to secure these installations amounts to three battalions
However, General Endriartono again reiterated his comments of last week saying that security on strategic installations is actually the responsibility of company management.
What TNI does in assisting to secure companies including the overseas investment mining companies if only the situation is considered threatening.
"The ideal is if [the company] can not self protect, [then] don't set up a company. TNI can not continuously protect them," added Endriartono.
With the issuance of Laws No 3 year 2002 regarding State Defence, TNI plans to transfer the duty to related company management and to the Indonesia Police force in order for TNI to focus on TNI professionalism building.