House Commission I Emphasises SPPI Military Training Must Focus on Character Building

Jakarta – Chairman of House Commission I, Utut Adianto, has asserted that the Basic Military Training (Latsarmil) for participants of the Sarjana Penggerak Pembangunan Indonesia (SPPI) programme must be oriented towards character building, not merely physical training. The participants are being prepared as prospective managers of the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives (KDMP) and Merah Putih Fishermen Cooperatives (KNMP).

According to Utut, the primary objective of the training is to shape human resources who are disciplined, have integrity, and possess leadership qualities, enabling them to carry out their responsibilities within the community. He explained that the core value of Latsarmil lies in instilling character, discipline, and a spirit of service. “What we want to build is not just physical capability, but also values, discipline, and a chivalrous spirit. These values will be their essential foundation when they carry out their duties in society,” Utut said in a written statement on Thursday, 2 July 2026.

In the same forum, Deputy Chairman of Commission I Dave Laksono assessed that the Merah Putih Village Cooperative programme has significant prospects for driving national economic growth, both at the micro and macro levels. He therefore stressed the importance of executing the programme professionally to achieve the government’s intended goals. “This programme has the potential to provide great benefits to the economy. Therefore, its implementation must be carried out properly so that the government’s objectives can be realised,” Dave stated.

This emphasis on character over physical exertion follows a recent tragedy in which five prospective KDMP managers died during the military training. In response, the Ministry of Defence has decided to shorten the training duration. Deputy Minister of Defence Donny Ermawan stated that the training period, initially set at one month because participants were also being trained as reserve components (Komcad), has been reduced to two weeks.