Commission I Parliament: TNI Territorial Chief of Staff Position Does Not Need Parliamentary Discussion

TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto has reintroduced the position of Kepala Staf Teritorial (Kaster, Territorial Chief of Staff), currently held by Lieutenant General Bambang Trisnohadi. Deputy Chair of Commission I in Parliament Dave Laksono believes this policy falls within TNI’s internal jurisdiction.

“That is already an internal TNI policy, so it is the government’s right to determine its structure,” said Dave Laksono to journalists at the Golkar Party Central Office in West Jakarta on Tuesday, 17 March 2026.

Laksono stated that the discussion of the Kaster TNI position does not require parliamentary examination. He compared the decision to reinstate the Kaster TNI position to changes in directorate-general structures, which are the government’s prerogative.

“It is not necessary. It is like, for example, changes to directorates-general, adding directors, and such matters do not require discussion with us because these are government rights,” he said.

General Agus Subiyanto appointed Lieutenant General Bambang Trisnohadi as Kaster TNI. The Kaster TNI position has re-emerged after being abolished during the presidency of Indonesia’s fourth president, Abdurrahman Wahid, commonly known as Gus Dur.

In a transfer letter dated Wednesday, 11 March, Lieutenant General Bambang Trisnohadi was appointed as Kaster TNI. Previously, Letjen Bambang had served as Pangkogabwilhan III (Commander of the Third Operational Command Area).

The Pangkogabwilhan III position is now held by Major General Lucky Avianto, who previously served as Commander of Kodam XXIV/Mandala Trikora.

The Kaster TNI position was abolished during the presidency of Indonesia’s fourth president, Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur).

According to the 2003 Human Rights Report published by the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (Elsam), the position was originally named Kepala Sosial Politik (Kasospol, Chief of Socio-Political Affairs) TNI. However, over time, the position changed its name to Kepala Staf Teritorial (Kaster) TNI. The position carried out the TNI’s socio-political affairs responsibilities.

The position was previously held by figures including Agus Widjojo until Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY). During the reform era, Gus Dur undertook a reformation process of the TNI institution. One of these actions was the abolishment of the Kaster TNI position in 2001.