Major factions want TNI under ministry

Major factions want TNI under ministry

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Major factions in the House of Representatives have proposed that
the Indonesian Military (TNI) fall under the control of the
Ministry of Defense, albeit partially.

All of the factions in the House brought suggestions to the
debate on the TNI bill. The Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI-P), the Golkar Party, the United Development Party
(PPP), the National Awakening Party (PKB), the Crescent Star
Party (PBB) and the Reform faction all recommended changes to the
current line of command that places the military directly under
the president.

The military/police faction, which has only 38 of 500 seats in
the House, took the opposite view, while the Indonesia Nationhood
Unity (KKI) and the Daulatul Ummah Party (PDU) remained neutral
on the issue.

However, of the factions that proposed the defense ministry be
given control over the TNI, only the PKB pushed for sweeping
reform. The party's own draft of the TNI bill urged that the TNI
commander be responsible for implementing defense policies drawn
up by the defense ministry, which would in effect put the TNI
under the ministry's supervision and require the military chief
to report to the defense minister.

The PDI-P, the largest faction in the House, and the PPP
recommended the ministry be given restricted control over the
policy making and the organizational, administration and
budgetary affairs of the TNI. Golkar and the PBB, meanwhile,
recommended the defense ministry oversee the military on behalf
of the president.

The Reform faction, which consists of the National Mandate
Party (PAN) and the Justice Party (PK), suggested the defense
ministry be given control over the military except for
promotions, human resource development and the use of military
force.

"We are collecting input from the House factions in our bid to
create a law that promotes TNI professionalism," the chairman of
the House's defense commission, Ibrahim Ambong, said on Monday.

The process of gathering recommendations from the factions
prompted lawmakers to move back their first hearing of the bill
with the government to Thursday from Tuesday.

Also on Monday, a group of non-governmental organizations
renewed their demand that the House defense commission reject the
TNI bill.

The NGOs expressed concern the bill would preserve the
military's involvement in politics, thus weakening efforts to
build a professional TNI.

In a joint statement signed by the Petisi 50, the Committee on
Alert for the New Order, the Marhaen People's Movement and the
Islamic Student Association, the organizations suggested the
House return the bill to the government.

The defense commission's deputy chairman, Effendy Choirie,
said the deliberation of the bill would continue, but promised
lawmakers would do everything possible to accommodate the
public's aspirations.

He said lawmakers would focus on three crucial issues in order
to save time: the redefinition of the TNI's territorial role, the
repositioning of the TNI under the defense ministry and the
military budget.

The Ministry of Defense's director of defense strategy, Maj.
Gen. Sudrajat, agreed that lawmakers should redefine the
military's territorial role, which in the past was aimed at
supporting Soeharto's New Order government.

During the meeting with the House's defense commission,
Ministry of Defense secretary-general Suprihadi said the
government planned to establish regional ministry offices.

The establishment of these regional offices, however, will
only be decided after the deliberation of the TNI bill is
completed.

Factions' stance on crucial issues in the TNI bill
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Territorial Positioning TNI TNI officers

function of TNI under defense ministry in bureaucracy
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PDI-P reject agree must resign
Golkar undecided agree must resign
PPP reject agree must resign
PKB reject agree must resign
Reform undecided agree reject
TNI/Police agree reject agree
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Source: Recommendations of House factions