DENPASAR, Indonesia -- Largely ignored abroad, a new intelligence reform bill currently being debated by Indonesia's parliament could have serious repercussions for the archipelagic country's security and its process of democratization.
The long-overdue bill is a step in the right direction, since intelligence operations in Indonesia are currently flimsily regulated by a presidential decree. Still, the proposal currently on the table is hardly ideal.
Indonesia faces numerous security threats, including terrorism, human trafficking, weapon proliferations and arms smuggling. A competent intelligence apparatus is thus vital for national as well as regional -- if not global -- security.