MPR's decision to maintain Military\/Police questioned<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono questioned
\nlegislators' decision on Tuesday to allow the Indonesian Military
\n(TNI)\/Police faction to retain their seats in the People's
\nConsultative Assembly and conceded that it may have been prompted
\nout of fear.<\/p>\n
When asked on Tuesday if he believed the proposal was likely
\nto have been prompted by a civilian fear of the military, Juwono
\nreplied: \"yes\".<\/p>\n
\"Personally, I wanted the TNI\/Police faction to end their
\npresence in the Assembly in 2004 as they will be in the House of
\nRepresentatives\".<\/p>\n
\"But it has been decided by these civilian men of high
\nposition at the Assembly,\" Juwono scoffed.<\/p>\n
\"The decision came from civilians, and the TNI\/Police will
\nfollow it if the proposal to retain the faction till 2009 is
\nendorsed by Assembly members,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Commission B at the Assembly's Annual Session, charged with
\ndrafting Assembly decrees, proposed maintaining the presence of
\nthe TNI\/Police faction in the highest law-making body until 2009.<\/p>\n
The decision came despite an earlier commitment to abolish
\nallocated seats for the military and police in the House in 2004.
\nCurrently, the TNI\/Police has 38 seats at the Assembly.<\/p>\n
The draft decree is expected to be endorsed on Friday.<\/p>\n
Military and police members traditionally do not vote in the
\ngeneral election and are thus allocated seats in the Assembly and
\nthe House.<\/p>\n
Assembly members contended the decision was fair as the
\nTNI\/Police also have a right to channel their political
\naspirations.<\/p>\n
Vote<\/p>\n
Juwono also said that even if the military and police were not
\nallocated seats, it would be too risky to allow soldiers to vote
\nin general elections as it could create dangerous fractures
\nwithin the military.<\/p>\n
\"Maybe they will be ready to vote after 2009, but not right
\nnow. But I personally think if they become soldiers they do not
\nneed that anymore,\" Juwono said.<\/p>\n
\"They, active soldiers, have to follow a chain of command, the
\norders of their superior. If they retire then they can join
\npolitical parties,\" he added.<\/p>\n
National Police chief Gen. Rusdihardjo supported the proposal
\nto maintain the faction till 2009.<\/p>\n
He said the TNI\/Police could make various useful suggestions
\nand inputs during the transitional period.<\/p>\n
\"I consider it a good projection. During that time we can let
\nthe people judge our roles at the Assembly. Beside, as a tool of
\nthe state it is difficult to find a more legitimate way to
\nchannel political rights,\" Rusdihardjo said.<\/p>\n
He also felt that soldiers and police should refrain from
\nvoting \"because they are the ones carrying the guns\".<\/p>\n
\"We are all still learning about democracy. The general public
\nwill still have some fears if we join the election because we
\nhave guns,\" he added.<\/p>\n
A separate decree has also been drafted to formally separate
\nthe structure and organizations of the military and police.<\/p>\n
It also proposes that the TNI commander and chief of National
\nPolice can be appointed and dismissed by the president only with
\nthe approval of the House of Representative.<\/p>\n
The first draft decree also included an article on the
\nestablishment of a National Police board.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the board as a way to control the police force,
\nRusdihardjo said he expected it to function more as a police aid
\nso the force would not become entangled in administrative
\naffairs.<\/p>\n
\"Establishing a special board to control us just because we
\nare under the direct order of the president indicates unnecessary
\nconcern,\" he said. (dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mprs-decision-to-maintain-militarypolice-questioned-1447893297",
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