Defence Ministry Opens Inquiry After Two SPPI Programme Candidates Die During Military Training

The Ministry of Defence (Kemhan) is conducting a thorough evaluation of the basic military training (latsarmil) programme after two participants of the Sarjana Penggerak Pembangunan Indonesia (SPPI) programme died during the course. ‘Kemhan, together with the National Selection Committee and the education providers, is currently carrying out a comprehensive evaluation of all aspects of the programme’s implementation,’ said Brigadier General TNI Rico Ricardo Sirait, Head of the Defence Information Bureau at the Kemhan Secretariat General, in a statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday. According to Rico, the evaluation aims to identify various aspects needing improvement to enhance the safety and quality of the latsarmil education. ‘We will evaluate the health selection mechanism, medical supervision, the handling of participants with specific health conditions, and the communication and reporting system,’ he said. He emphasised that Kemhan is open to various inputs and criticisms to achieve a better implementation of the latsarmil. ‘Every input, evaluation, and lesson learned from the activity’s implementation will serve as the basis for refining the programme going forward, so it runs better, safer, more professionally, and accountably,’ Rico stated. The two deceased SPPI programme participants were being prepared to become managers of the Koperasi Desa/Kelurahan Merah Putih (KDKMP) and Kampung Nelayan Merah Putih (KNMP). They were named as Anisa Muyassaroh and Yonanda Muhammad Taufiq. Rico explained that Anisa Muyassaroh died from heat stroke while attending training at the Dodikjur Rindam VI/Mulawarman Education Unit in Balikpapan. Meanwhile, Yonanda Muhammad Taufiq died while attending training at the Pusat Latihan Tempur (Puslatpur) Kodiklatad Education Unit in Baturaja. According to Rico, Yonanda experienced a decline in his physical condition on 17 June 2026 and was subsequently referred to a hospital for medical treatment. ‘Based on medical information, the individual was declared dead due to cardiac arrest,’ he said.