INDONESIA'S ANTI-DRUGS DRIVE ALSO TARGETS MILITARY, POLICE, STATE PERSONNEL by Fardah
Jakarta, March 20, 2016 (Antara) - Military, police officers and civil servants have been targeted in a new anti-drugs strategy being launched throughout Indonesia lately.
The move comes after Ogan Ilir District Head Ahmad Wazir Nofiadi was arrested recently for alleged drug possession. The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) is currently targeting state officials using illicit drugs, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan stated in Bandung, West Java, recently. Drug abuse in Indonesia is worse than terrorism as 30 to 50 people die every day due to drugs, and the total number of drug users reaches 5.9 million, according to the minister. Vice President Jusuf Kalla recently said he agrees with the idea of state officials, including members of the House of Representatives, being made to undergo urine drug tests . "It's a good idea. I agree. Aren't we now fighting against narcotic drugs?" he said. Kalla said he is ready to undergo the test himself to set an example for other state officials to follow. "All must become a role model. If necessary, I will also participate in it. I am ready," he said. The BNN chief, Commissioner General Budi Waseso, earlier said investigation was on about the alleged involvement of a DPR member in a narcotic drug case. The alleged involvement of the DPR member came to be known following a raid to check for narcotics at the housing complex of the Army's Reserve Command (Kostrad) in South Jakarta last month. "We only gave backing for the operation which was carried out by the TNI (military) command's concern about the issue. It was out of such concerns that the operation was conducted internally against his own men. We helped in carrying out the urine test for those suspected," he said. Army spokesman Brid.Gen. M Sabrar Fadhilah said Commander of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo has declared war on drugs, and ordered that any officers found guilty of being involved in drug abuse must be fired. The Army Reserve Strategic Command (Kostrad) had conducted urine drug tests among its soldiers. The test found indications that 8 of 146 soldiers undergoing test had consumed drugs. The army headquarters said punishment would be meted out with dismissal from the service while they still face legal case. Waseso expressed appreciation for measures taken by the TNI chief against drug abuse within the force. "I highly appreciate and I am proud of Military Chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo for the initiative to clean the military from drug related offense," Budi Waseso said. The TNI soldiers committing drug abuses have to be punished as the TNI is the main pillar and the last fortress in the state defense, he said. "It would be the end of the nation if all of our solders became drug addicts," he said. Similarly drug is a threat to police and firm measure would be taken against police officers committing drug abuse or drug related crimes, he said. Drug addicted police officers could not carry out their duty as law enforcers, he said. Indonesia is in a state of emergency in its fight against drugs, Budi Waseso said. "About 5 million people are drug abusers and 40-50 people were dying every day due to drugs," Waseso said while receiving the leaders of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and factions at the MPR at the BNN office on March 4. He said the state was accruing losses worth Rp63.1 trillion every year due to drugs. Some 60 drug syndicates are operating in Indonesia. "The losses incurred due to drug abuse have reached Rp63.1 trillion, while some 60 drug syndicates are operating in Indonesia. This means that on an average, Rp1 trillion go to each syndicate," he said. He said lack of personnel was a hurdle in combating drug abuse in Indonesia. The BNN now has 4,600 personnel, well below the ideal number of 74 thousand. "Our strength are our 4,600 personnel. Ideally, there should be 74 thousand. This is far from the expected figure. Nearly 125 million out of the total Indonesian population of 250 million are in their productive age. How can the BNN prevent 125 million people from falling victim to drug abuse?" MPR Chairman Zukifli Hasan told the media that MPR with the cooperation of BNN would in the near future conduct urine drug tests. Every member of the MPR and the House of Representatives (DPR) should undergo urine drug tests, he said. Recently, politicians of the Justice Prosperous Party (PKS) at the Parliament took part in the urine tests and all of them passed the tests, Hasan, chairman of the PKS, said. Several local government, police and military offices have carried out unannounced urine tests to support the government's anti-drug drive. In East Kotawaringin District, Central Kalimantan, for instance, some 300 policemen underwent a urine test on March 6. "The urine test that we conducted on some 300 policemen on Sunday is part of the preventive measures against the circulation and consumption of drugs among the police in East Kotawaringin district," local police spokesman Adjunct Senior Commissioner Hendra Wirawan said. He noted that the police was committed to combating and eradicating drug trafficking, for which the personnel must themselves also be clean of drugs. Wirawan further added that based on the results of the urine test, no single member had tested positive for the use of illicit drugs. "By undergoing this urine test, we want all police personnel of the East Kotawaringin district to prove they are free from drugs," he noted. In the meantime, the Surabaya district court sentenced two former police officers to six years' imprisonment each in a case of drug abuse on March 1. The two former officers of the Surabaya city police also faced a fine of Rp800 million or another three months in jail, judge of the Surabaya district court Haryanto said. ***4*** (f001/a014)
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