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Analysis: The House keeps close watch over spy agencies
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Lawmakers attend a House of Representatives plenary session on July 9, 2024, at the Senayan legislative complex in Jakarta. (Antara/Rivan Awal Lingga)
T
he House of Representatives recently formed the Intelligence Oversight Team under the coordination of the deputy speaker of the House, which includes the leaders of the House Commission I and representatives of the House factions. However, the team's effectiveness in holding the intelligence community accountable to the public interest remains in question.
House Speaker Puan Maharani inaugurated on Dec. 3 is a recent addition to the team, which comprises Utut Adianto of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Dave Laksono of the Golkar Party, G. Budisatrio Djiwandono of the Gerindra Party, Ahmad Heryawan of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and Anton Sukartono Suratto of the Democratic Party as leaders.
The team members, all from the Commission I, are Junico BP Siahaan (PDI-P), Gavriel P. Novanto (Golkar), Endipat Wijaya (Gerindra), Viktor Laiskodat (NasDem), Abdul Halim Iskandar (National Awakening Party, PKB), Jazuli Juwaini (PKS), Farah Putri Nahlia (National Mandate Party, PAN) and Rizki Aulia Rahman Natakusumah (Democratic Party).
Deputy House speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad of Gerindra is named the team's coordinator.
The House said it established the team to implement Law No. 17/2011 on State Intelligence.
Commission I, which oversees foreign, security, defense, military and communication affairs, is entrusted to supervise the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) and other intelligence agencies under the Indonesian military (TNI), National Police, National Narcotics Agency, Attorney General’s Office and ministries.
The BIN has been one of the biggest users of the annual national budget, especially during former president Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's tenure. They spent Rp 8.2 trillion (US$513.79 million) in 2020, Rp 9.2 trillion (2021), Rp 8.8 trillion (2022), Rp 15 trillion (2023), and Rp 29 trillion (2024).
