Melting BATAN And LAPAN Into BRIN, Government Assessed As Excessive

Illustration-Bapeten Jazi Eko Istiyanto inspection at the Center for Science and Technology Accelerator BATAN Yogyakarta (Photo: Batan.go.id)

JAKARTA - The government's discourse of merging non-ministerial government agencies (LPNK) under the coordinator of the Ministry of Research and Technology into the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) was opposed by legislators from the House of Representatives (DPR).

The plan is for all institutions and agencies related to research, development, study and application of science and technology, both those under the Research and Technology LPNK and the technical ministries Balitbang to be merged into the National Agency for Research and Innovation.

This policy is carried out based on Law 11 of 2019 concerning the National System of Science and Technology (Sisnas IPTEK).

Member of Commission VII DPR RI Mulyanto asked the Government not to dissolve the National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN) and the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (LAPAN) to be merged with BRIN.

He admitted that based on the Law on National Science and Technology, BRIN was indeed assigned to carry out R&D from upstream to downstream, from invention to innovation in an integrated manner.

"However, it would be too much to dissolve or merge BATAN and LAPAN into BRIN," said Mulyanto, Tuesday, May 4.

If the dissolution was carried out, according to him, the government could be deemed to have violated Law Number 10 of 1997 concerning Nuclear Energy and Law no. 21 of 2013 concerning Space. Because, BATAN and LAPAN are not just research and development institutions.

"The two of them are respectively the main nuclear task force executing agency and the aerospace and aviation management body. So that if these two institutions are disbanded there will be a vacuum in carrying out their duties as mandated by the law," said the PKS politician.

Mulyanto also questioned who would carry out the mandate of the Nuclear and Space Law if BATAN and LAPAN were dissolved.

Therefore, he suggested that the government simply combine the research and development functions of BATAN and LAPAN into BRIN. While the implementation of other duties remains at BATAN and LAPAN.

"Of course, the integration is not necessarily easy and fast, especially if what is integrated is not just a program / activity, but includes human resources and institutions," said Mulyanto.

Mulyanto reminded that currently Indonesia really needs the existence of BATAN and LAPAN to support the achievement of national welfare.

He explained that BATAN is needed in optimizing the use of nuclear energy for everyday life. Meanwhile, LAPAN is needed to organize space activities and public aviation.

"The achievements and achievements of BATAN and LAPAN are currently quite good. The government should continue to support so that these agencies and institutions continue to improve and develop. It is not even threatened that it is dissolved or dissolved, ”said Mulyanto.