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Megawati’s possible BRIN role brings fresh concerns over research politicization
A presidential regulation on the National Research Agency (BRIN) mandates the agency to have a steering committee led by the head of the Agency for Pancasila Ideology Education's (BPIP) steering committee -- a position held by Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri.
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Employees walk into the Research and Technology Ministry's building in Jakarta on April 11. (Antara/Indrianto Eko Suwarso)
W
hen the government announced its decision to dissolve the Research and Technology Ministry and bestow the authority to oversee research upon the National Research Agency (BRIN), researchers were quick to raise concerns that such a move would put less attention on the state of science and innovation in the country.
Their worries were amplified recently after the possibility arose that the research agency would have Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri as the head of its steering committee, bringing fresh concerns over a politicized research and innovation environment in the country.
On April 28, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo signed Presidential Regulation No. 33/2021 on BRIN, which serves as a guideline for, among other issues, the agency’s structure.
According to the regulation, the agency will have a steering committee tasked with providing input to the BRIN chairman in formulating policies and overseeing research to be in line with state ideology Pancasila.
The regulation also mandates that the committee be led by a member of the Agency for Pancasila Ideology Education’s (BPIP) steering committee.
Many speculated that this particular provision referred to Megawati, who is the head of the BPIP’s steering committee.
