Defence Minister: Creation of 750 Territorial Development Battalions to curb crime and spur the economy

The Defence Ministry, through the Indonesian Army (TNI AD), will establish 750 Territorial Development Battalions (Yon TP) by 2029. The Defence Minister said one of the reasons for forming Yon TP is to curb crime and strengthen social environments. Yon TP’s presence can help safeguard security and public order, and will be built in all cities and regencies across Indonesia. ‘Before there were territorial development battalions, districts had no troops; the area was empty. What happened? Robbery, crime — it was very high. But once we established bases there, crime fell by a certain percentage,’ the Defence Minister told a hearing with the House of Representatives Commission I in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday (19/5/2026). The Defence Minister said one of Yon TP’s tasks is to patrol the area. Such patrols, he said, can build a neighbourhood security system so that crime cases can be prevented. In addition, Sjafrie noted that the establishment of Yon TP also aims to strengthen the social environment. In this context, soldiers from various religious backgrounds can work with the community to safeguard social life in harmony. ‘So the community feels somewhat warmer with the presence of the territorial battalion,’ he said. On the other hand, Sjafrie noted that the presence of soldiers in the region can also support the local economy. ‘Take, for example, the lowest salary for a soldier is Rp 6 million per person. If there are 1,000 soldiers in one battalion and each spends Rp 1 million per month, that’s Rp 1 billion circulating in the village and district where they are based,’ he stated. Currently, around the Yon TP base that has been completed, the local economy is also growing. ‘Whenever I come to the battalions, I see many new cafes and stalls; it shows micro, small and medium enterprises are expanding,’ Sjafrie added.