A rotten apple decays a bushel

The army commander's efforts to investigate Agus Wirahadikusumah and Saurip Kadi must be understood as part of the Indonesian Military (TNI) internal reform. Salim Said is wrong to say that the army commander must not busy himself with Agus and Saurip Kadi as this is an unproductive matter. I am a military observer (not an expert), but let me try to express my comments:

1. In internal reform it is easy to overhaul an organization, but it is not easy to change a culture. Agus WK and Saurip are not privates but generals. What is expected of generals is not only clever thinking but also maturity in thinking. TNI is not a political party nor an NGO. It has a military culture and tradition which is similar to many military forces in the world. Nowhere in the world is there a company commander who talks publicly in the capacity of a military regional commander.

In any military organization/community, a problem is studied on the basis of a staff and commander relationship. But after becoming the commander's decision, everybody must abide by it. It's not to say that TNI doesn't recognize organizational democracy, it exists before a topic becomes a decision.

TNI is like a family. The father is father, son is son, mother is mother, servant is servant. Just imagine if the son positions himself as father and father as servant. What will become of the household! This was seen when Agus WK talked in the House of Representatives, i.e. a military regional chief positioning himself as TNI commander in chief. Agus WK has translated the meaning of reform as being able to do anything and talk about anything.

2. In order to be positioned as reformist military men, AWK and Saurip Kadi have used a field issue as seemingly original thinking, i.e. the issue of dissolving military regional command, which is a left-wing issue (the Democratic People's Party and ex- communists) because if a military regional command still exists, the leftists will not be able to move freely.

Just think, if the broadest possible regional autonomy is realized, which institutions will be able to bind this unitary state? Therefore, there must be a central institution stationed in the region. Who will foster the Sishankamrata (a defense and security system involving the entire population of the country), and last but not least do not forget the danger of communism, religious radicals and other radical elements. Do not consider them already dead. An ideology never dies.

3. For this purpose the army commander and the TNI commander in chief should not hesitate to study the problem comprehensively. Civilians are expected not to meddle with TNI's internal affairs if they don't want to be interfered with by TNI.

RAHMAWATI SUPANDI

Jakarta