Former officer warns of military return to politics
Former officer warns of military return to politics
JAKARTA (JP): Hasnan Habib, a retired Army lieutenant general,
warned here on Tuesday of the possibility of a military comeback
within the nation's political arena if politicians remained
immature and unprofessional.
"The higher the level of immaturity among politicians, the
greater the military's chances of returning to the political
arena," Hasnan said at a book launch. The two books, Militer
Indonesia dan Politik (The Indonesian Military and Politics) and
Wawancara tentang Tentara dan Politik (Interview about the
Military and Politics), were written by military observer Salim
Said.
Hasnan, a former Indonesian Military sociopolitical affairs
chief and former Indonesian ambassador to the United States,
urged political parties to appoint their professional colleagues
within strategic positions at state institutions, with the aim of
upholding democracy and creating a strong civil society amid the
current reform era.
He said that, due to the immaturity and lack of self-
confidence among the nation's civilian political leaders, the
military had again been invited to interfere in political
affairs, notwithstanding efforts to phase out the institutions's
dual function in the defense and sociopolitical sectors.
To illustrate the military's interference in politics, Hasnan
referred to the Special Session conducted by the People's
Consultative Assembly in July, which led to the downfall of
Abdurrahman Wahid's presidency.
"During the Special Session, the civilian elite (in the
People's Consultative Assembly) invited the military to help them
win the game. This means the civilians have allowed the military
to return to politics," he said, as quoted by Antara.
According to Hasnan, the military should continue reverting to
its original function of defense and respect civil supremacy in
politics.
Salim Said said that, in line with civil supremacy, the
military should comply with the House of Representatives, whose
members should all be elected by the people through general
elections.
He said that there is still a long way to go before Indonesia
achieves civil supremacy.
In a separate discussion on the civilian-military dichotomy,
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) deputy
chairman Radjakami Sembiring Meliala said that, despite the
military's sins in the past, political parties and large group
organizations could learn much from the military in terms of
recruitment and promotion.
"Apart from its sins in the past, the military is still the
leading organization in personnel recruitment, career development
and promotion, which are not found in any political parties or
other mass organizations," he said.
Radjakami, who was the former chief of the Cenderawasih
Military Command overseeing Irian Jaya and Maluku, said the
military had a long-established and strictly adhered to system of
promotion, linking the lowest group, company, battalion or force
to the top position within its organization. (rms)