Army Chief: TNI only assists projects beyond ministries' reach

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) General TNI Maruli Simanjuntak has explained that the projects assisted by the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) are only those that are beyond the reach of ministries. According to him, the TNI does not take over projects or select them first, but only undertakes work that cannot be carried out due to limitations. For example, he cited projects in frontier, outermost, and underdeveloped (3T) regions. “It is not that the projects are taken first and then we choose; no, we only do what cannot be done,” Maruli said at the parliament complex in Jakarta on Wednesday, responding to questions about the phenomenon of the TNI involving itself in other matters. He gave the example that work in 3T areas usually involves projects of modest value, yet requires extraordinary logistical transport. According to him, such projects would struggle to find parties willing to execute them. “If the project value is, say, IDR 200 million, and the work is on Nias Island, it might be difficult to find someone to take on the project. So, we try to help,” he said. Additionally, he responded to the issue of the TNI aiding in the eradication of violent street robberies. According to him, his party is merely deploying TNI personnel in areas prone to such crimes as a preventive measure. “The robbers become afraid because there are soldiers, that is the point. We are not meddling in it,” he said.