Civilian guards 'hamper TNI', Kostrad chief Agus complains

BANDUNG (JP): The presence of civilian guards affiliated with political parties has hampered the work of the Indonesian Military (TNI), whose duty it is to maintain national stability, Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) chief Lt. Gen. Agus Wirahadikusumah said.

"That is a takeover of the military's duty to maintain the state's sovereignty," Agus said here on Tuesday, adding that he was not suggesting these groups of civilian guards be disbanded.

"Their presence must be seen as a real challenge to the military, because they emerged as a result of TNI's weaknesses and inability to safeguard the country," Agus said after attending a ceremony marking the anniversary of the Kujang Airborne 330 Battalion in Cicalengka here.

"If I were rich and did not trust the police and military, I would hire my own security guards. If people or groups do not trust the authorities, they tend to protect themselves through their own means," said Agus, who is known for his outspokenness.

Therefore, the emergence of civilian guards must prompt TNI to introspection and a return to its main function, according to Agus.

"Every institution, the people, the government and the mass media must keep to their own track and perform their own functions.

"Leave home security affairs to the police. The military will help the police at the request of the police if they are overwhelmed," he said.

Agus caused controversy several months ago by suggesting a radical reform of the military through the abolition of a number of provincial military commands and all military commands at the district level.

He repeated this proposal on Tuesday, saying territorial commands were no longer needed in Java. "Let's take Singapore or Tokyo as examples. Do you think these two metropolises have military commands such as Koramil, Korem and Kodim like big cities in Indonesia do?"

Agus, the former chief of the Wirabuana Military Command overseeing Sulawesi, replaced Lt. Gen. Djadja Suparman as Kostrad commander in March.

He said the largest challenge currently facing TNI was its repositioning. "Political intrigue in the military must be eliminated. We don't want any external powers interfering in TNI's internal affairs."

"If the repositioning fails, TNI will be vulnerable to interests outside its main duty," he said.

Agus stressed that military commanders must maintain good human relationships with their subordinates. He also called for an end to what he called feudal practices in the military, which he said hampered TNI's development. (25/sur)