AM Hendropriyono Appointed As Head Of BIN In Today's Memory, August 10, 2001

AM Hendropriyono, who served as Head of BIN from 2001 to 2004. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA Memories today, 22 years ago, August 10, 2001, President Megawati Soekarnoputri appointed Abdullah Mahmud (AM) Hendropriyono as Head of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN). The appointment was carried out because Hendropriyono was an intelligence figure and loyalist.

Previously, the closeness of Megawati and Hendropriyono began to last since the New Order (Orba) era. Hendropriyono fully supports Megawati's political steps. Mainly in seizing the chair of the general chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) and the President of Indonesia.

Hendropriyono's work in the military world is full of dynamics. He devoted himself to being part of the red beret in his career in the Army (AD). He has also been deployed in many operations. From Kalimantan to Timor-East.

Everything is perpetuated with joy. His involvement also invites praise. He is known as intelligence as a mempuni. This student from General Benny Moerdani later entrenched as Director D and A of the Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS).

In fact, this position did not make Hendropriyono direct full support for the New Order. Instead, he perpetuated support for Suharto and New Order political opponents, Megawati Soekarnoputri. Hendropriyono, who was known as Soekarno's admirer, then supported Megawati to take over the leadership of the PDI in 1993.

The political support was perpetuated because Megawati was believed to be the best choice. This support continues even though he was appointed to hold non-military positions as Minister of Transmigration and Forest Encroaching Settlement and Minister of Manpower.

Hendropriyono's support for Megawati became more intense when the New Order collapsed. He believes Megawati can become the new President of Indonesia. Maybe Megawati is a woman, but Hendropriyono believes his leadership will be strong.

Megawati's figure was chosen as president under this condition as the best choice, not only to synergize the political power of the executive and the DPR, but what is more important is to accelerate the stability of politics, economy, and national security. Even if public opinion analyzes Megawati as a weak figure, then this must be seen as an early warning so that Megawati does not repeat her predecessor's mistakes.

Therefore, Megawati will strengthen her cabinet formation with the elite parties so that she can get political support in the DPR. If thisfeedback is really instrumented, then Megawati Niscaya's leadership will be much stronger than the current national leadership," said AM Hendropriyono in the book From Terrorism to the TNI-Polri Conflict (2013).

Ulam's beloved peak arrives. Hendropriyono's wish to see Megawati as the new President of Indonesia was realized. Megawati at that time replaced President Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) who was removed by the MPR. This leadership made Megawati not forget the name Hendropriyono.

Hendropriyono was then appointed Megawati as Head of BIN. The appointment was perpetuated because Megawati had a deep understanding of Hendropriyono's ability as an intelligence figure. His determination was also considered one of the decisions that had the most major influence in the era of Megawati's leadership.

AM Hendropriyono was inaugurated as Head of BIN on August 10, 2001. He was a three-star general close to Megawati and PDI (then became the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle/PDIP). Together with Agum Gumelar, Hendropriyono also succeeded in Megawati's candidacy as PDIP Chair in 1993. He admitted that he was not ruled by anyone, Hendropriyono wanted to help because he had sympathy for Megawati, the daughter of his idol, President Sukarno.

During the Habibie administration. Hendropriyono held the post of Minister of Transmigration, then promoted by Megawati to Head of BIN. BIN during the Hendropriyono era was a key player in helping the president overcome terrorism and extremism which culminated since the September 11, 2001 incident in the US and the suicide bombing in Bali on October 12, 2002," explained Putri Ariza Kristimanta in the book Building Professional Intelligence in Indonesia: Against Threats, Maintaining Freedom (2022).