Jakarta, May 1 -- Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, has called for the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) to maintain-and even strengthen-its position as an independent watchdog.

Speaking at a meeting with Komnas HAM in Jakarta on Thursday (April 30), Mahendra said he agreed with several points raised by the commission, particularly the need to safeguard its independence.

"At the very least, Komnas HAM's position must be maintained, if not strengthened. The human rights monitoring and enforcement functions cannot be taken over by the government," he stated on Friday.

He stressed the importance of coordination among ministries and agencies during th...