Mahfud MD's Explanation Regarding BIN Which Is No Longer Under His Coordination

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD (Source: Public Relations Kemenko Polhukam)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has signed Presidential Regulation Number 73 of 2020 concerning the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) is no longer under the coordination of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs.

Mahfud MD, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, said that BIN is now coordinating directly under the President. "This is because the products are confidential and urgently needed by the President," said Mahfud MD, quoted from Tempo.co, Friday, July 17.

Even so, Mahfud confirmed that he could still ask for intelligence information from BIN. "I almost every week ask for intelligence information from BIN. Sometimes I invite the Head of BIN to present at cross-ministerial and institutional meetings," said Mahfud.

The enactment of Perpres 73/2020 automatically removes Perpres 43/2015. Jokowi himself signed a new Presidential Decree on July 2 and enacted it one day later.

In the previous Presidential Decree, the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs had the authority to coordinate: the Ministry of Internal Affairs; Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Defense; Ministry of Law and Human Rights; Ministry of Communication and Informatics; Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform; Attorney General's Office; TNI; Police; and other agencies deemed necessary.