Elegant message from TNI

Elegant message from TNI

The new composition of the People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) will consist only of members of the House of
Representatives (DPR) and the Regional Representatives Council
(DPD), who would be elected through a general election.

There will be no appointed member. There will be no interest
group representative. And the military and the police will have
no representatives in the Assembly. We do not have to wait until
2009, because 11 out of 12 MPR factions have agreed to implement
the new composition in the 2004 General Election.

The faction representing the Indonesian Military (TNI) and
Indonesian Police has demonstrated its political maturity.

"The TNI and the police realize that democracy,
decentralization and demilitarization are the answer to put the
people's sovereignty at the top. We will not ask compensation for
seats in the Assembly.

We will uphold our commitment not to get involved in political
practices," TNI/Police faction chairman, Slamet Supriyadi, said.

This makes us relieved because the TNI and the police have
elegantly withdrawn themselves from the political arena.

This is a constitutional amendment which will end years of
military involvement in the MPR. Another pride will wait -- the
professional TNI and police.

--Antara, Jakarta