Megawati says no rush with TNI bill

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.