Megawati says no rush with TNI bill

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Kurniawan Hari, Jakarta

While most legislators appeared highly enthusiastic about continuing deliberations on the crucial Indonesian Military (TNI) bill and endorsing it next month, President Megawati Soekarnoputri said on Wednesday the bill required further review.

Megawati said at a gathering with the Association of Islamic Students (HMI) that there was no urgency to speed up the deliberation process, as such a sensitive draft should be discussed thoroughly before enactment.

"The President wants a comprehensive discussion on the TNI bill in the interest of the state and of the TNI's professionalism," HMI chairman Hasanuddin quoted Megawati after the gathering.

This is the first time Megawati has made a public statement on the controversial TNI bill; the House of Representatives has heard the views of academics, many of whom said the bill ignored the TNI's own "new paradigm", announced not long after the formal end of the New Order in 1998, pledging to end its role in politics and other nondefense affairs.

Megawati's statement contradicted an earlier one from interim coordinating minister for political and security affairs Hari Sabarno, who said the bill needed to be finished during the current session, otherwise new House legislators to be installed in October would deliberate the bill anew.

The academics invited to comment on the bill -- which has gone through several drafts -- also said it should not be rushed, as it had yet to include soldiers' welfare and details on territorial commands, among other issues.

Meanwhile, House Commission I for defense affairs continued on Wednesday a discussion of the bill with retired military officers, former police chiefs and military analysts.

Participating in the discussion were National Resilience Institute governor Ermaya Suradinata, the defense ministry's strategy director Maj. Gen. (ret) Sudrajat, analyst Salim Said, former police chief Gen. (ret) Awaloedin Djamin, former Lemhannas governor Lt. Gen. (ret) Sayidiman Suryohadiprojo and former Air Force chief Air Marshal Rilo Pambudi, who concurred that deliberations should not be rushed.

Rilo suggested that the TNI chief must not be made a permanent position, pointing out that defense forces in other countries were typically led by a joint chief of staff. He added that a military chief was needed only in a time of war.

Salim said that, contrary to the bill, serving military officers must resign before taking up administrative posts to maintain professionalism.

Responding to the calls, legislator Permadi said the duration of the bill's deliberation would depend on the willingness of the TNI to accept the concept of developing a professional defense force.

"All parties involved in the deliberation must put aside their own interests. Otherwise, the bill's deliberation cannot be finished this session," he said.