Doli Kurnia on Komcad Targeting Civil Servants: Should Be For All, Provided That...

Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Legislative Body, Ahmad Doli Kurnia Tandjung, has endorsed efforts to expand the Reserve Component (Komcad) programme to target civil servants. He praised the initiative for strengthening patriotic sentiment and discipline.

“I am viewing this from the perspective of how important it is for our nation to build discipline and foster an increased sense of love for the nation and patriotism. Because to continue accelerating development, particularly as we seek leaps forward to become an advanced nation, fundamental matters such as the formation of a strong Indonesian character with high levels of discipline become key variables,” said Doli in a statement on Friday, 27 February 2026.

The Deputy General Chair of Golkar Party supported the Komcad programme insofar as it is oriented towards these two objectives. Moreover, Doli added, Komcad should not be limited to civil servants alone, but should extend to all citizens who meet the criteria.

“Never mind civil servants; the programme is actually needed across all elements of society. I analyse that, given the situation of weak national discipline and the gradual erosion of our sense of patriotism, there may be a need for a compulsory military programme like those implemented by several strong nations in the world today, such as Japan and South Korea,” he elaborated.

However, the Presidium member of KAHMI cautioned that Komcad should not be used to militarise civilians or blur the boundaries between civilian and military sectors. Doli expressed hope that the programme can strengthen public character to confront all challenges and problems, particularly social issues such as narcotics, immoral behaviour, and the like.

As is known, the participation of civil servants in Komcad has been regulated through Circular Letter of the Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform Number 27 of 2021 on the Role of Civil Servants as Komcad in Supporting National Defence Efforts. Defence Ministry data indicates that 4,000 civil servants from ministries and institutions in Jakarta will be enrolled in Komcad.

Targeted civil servants are aged between 18 and 35 years. Deputy Minister of Defence Donny Ermawan Taufanto stated that basic education is likely to be conducted in April 2026. Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff of the Army (KSAD) General Maruli Simanjuntak stated that the Army is prepared to facilitate this training.

The Defence Ministry has stated that 4,000 civil servants will be trained as Reserve Components (Komcad). The ministry said that those to be trained will participate on a voluntary basis.

“This remains voluntary in nature. Let me underline that. The requirement is that it is voluntary. So there is no element of coercion, obligation, or anything of the sort—none,” said Head of Information of the Ministry’s Secretariat, Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait, in Central Jakarta on Wednesday, 25 February 2026.

Sirait stated that the ministry would only provide a quota, but the number of civil servants participating in the training depends on the decision of the relevant ministry. Additionally, there will be a selection process for those who will participate in the training.

“Typically it will be determined from, for example, ministry A has 1,000 personnel, ministry B has 500, so the quota from ministry A might be only 50 people, ministry B only 10 people. The quota is adjusted according to the number of human resources available there,” he said.