ABRI needs 'new format' for political role

MAGELANG, Central Java (JP): Domestic and international changes affecting Indonesia represent a challenge for the Armed Forces to seek a "new format" for its involvement in the political arena, according to a military observer.

"Bad decisions could bring disaster to Indonesia," according to Salim Said in a discussion held here yesterday.

The Armed Forces (ABRI) applies a concept called Dwifungsi or dual-function, which allows it to have a great say in the social political affairs in addition to its security and defense role.

Over the years, many observers have criticized ABRI as dabbling too much in politics and called for a revision in the dual-function concept.

The discussion, opened by Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung, was held to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Military Academy in Magelang. The other speakers were military observer Maj. Gen. (ret) Z.A. Maulani, former ABRI chief of sociopolitical affairs Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid and scholar Koento Wibisono Siswomihardjo.

"Wrong responses to the changes... could lead to a damaging system of political leadership, and this could be fatal for both ABRI and Indonesia," he said.

Salim described how successes in development programs at home, along with the collapse of communism in other countries, have encouraged Indonesians to be more outspoken in their demands.

They demand not only the fulfillment of their physical needs and basic rights, but also the freedom of expression, for self- determination and democratization.

"In political terms, these are called demands for participation," said Salim.

Salim also described the civilian leadership as undergoing a transition.

"Civilian leaders are not yet able to fully manage the country alone, while the problems facing the state and the people are so complicated that ABRI cannot deal with them singlehandedly either," Salim said.

Maulani said a leader should be knowledgeable, competitive, have integrity, and have been shaped through strong discipline and a spartan life.

"This person should possess a combination of intellectual and physical strength," he said.

"Without morality, intellectual and physical strength will only give birth to a robber, while physical strength without intellectual and moral strength means that this person is no more than a water buffalo.

"If you had only moral strength without any intellectual and physical strength, you might as well become a hermit, not an officer," Maulani said. (23/swe)