Defence Minister Urges Public Not to Worry About Alert Level One Status
Jakarta – Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has appealed to the public not to be concerned following the TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto’s decision to place all Indonesian Armed Forces units on alert level one.
“The public should not worry,” Sjafrie stated when met at the Defence Ministry in Central Jakarta on Thursday (12 March 2026).
He also emphasised that the term “alert level one” established by Agus is military terminology. However, many have interpreted it through a political lens.
Sjafrie explained that alert level one status means military personnel must continuously monitor developments in the global, regional, and national situations. According to him, the preparedness of TNI personnel constitutes part of the country’s defence geostrategic framework.
“What the public actually needs is safety and comfort. That is our national task to establish national policy, and the TNI Commander’s role to manage operations,” he stressed.
“So this alert status is to assure the public that the republic is in a safe state and must certainly be comfortable in terms of clothing, food, and shelter,” he added.
Previously reported, General Agus Subiyanto, as TNI Commander, issued an alert level one order for all Indonesian Armed Forces units as a precautionary measure against global developments, particularly the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
The telegram stated that all TNI units must increase operational readiness in line with escalating international conflict dynamics and their potential impact on domestic security situations.
Alert level one status has been in effect since 1 March 2026 until further notice.
Agus stated that alert level one in the military is a standard term. According to him, alert level one refers to military personnel’s readiness in handling natural disasters.
Agus claimed that he wanted to test the preparedness of TNI personnel and materiel, therefore the alert level one instruction is routine. However, when asked whether alert level one relates to the heating Middle East conflict, Agus did not provide a clear answer.
“Okay, thank you, it’s routine, alert level one is normal,” he said.