Government Forms National Agency for Border Management

tempointeraktif.com

Tuesday, Jan. 05, 2010 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta - The government will form National Agency for Border Management. Presidential Regulation for the agency will be signed next week.

According to Minister of Home Affairs, Gamawan Fauzi, Presidential Regulation draft has been finalized by related ministers. "In the meeting, all related ministers are present, so all is final," said Gamawan after a political and security affairs coordination meeting regarding the agency in the Office of Political and Security Affairs, Jakarta, Tuesday (05/01).

The meeting was attended by, among others, Coordinating Minister of Political, Law and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto, National Police Chief Bambang Hendarso Danuri, Indonesian Military Chief Djoko Santoso, Minister of Defense Purnomo Yusgiantoro, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, Head of Bappenas Armida S Alisjahbana, Minister of Bureaucratic Reform EE Mangindaan, Minister of Tranportation Freddy Numberi, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Fadel Muhammad, Deputy of State Secretary Lambok, State Intellegence Agency Chief Sutanto, Minister of Law Patrialis Akbar, Minister of Disadvantaged Areas Helmy Faishal Zaini, Minister of Forestry Zulkifli Hasan and Minister of Public Works Djoko Kirmanto.

The agency will be led by Minister of Home Affairs and responsible to President. Meanwhile, its secretary and deputy will be from echelon one and other elements. "Tasks of the agency include coordinating the handling of border areas," said Gamawan. The coordination would be in form of producing policies, while its action relies on each ministry."So the border areas would transform into more advanced areas compared to now".

On who will fill the positions, Gamawan is yet to inform. According to the Minister, the new agency will be formed after Presidential Regulation is signed.

"We have prepared the office in the former Institute of Administration in Cilandak, and this is a non-departmental agency responsible to President," he said. Its authority is more on coordinating and formulating policies.

About cases that may occur on border areas, Gamawan said there has been in charge. Not the agency but are divided to the ministries. "For Kalimantan, under Defense Minister, Papua New Guinea under Interior Minister, and Timor-Leste under Direjenkum," he said. The decision, said Gamawan was made according to Presidential Decree. But security remains at Department of Defense and TNI.