Military Basic Training Replaced with State Defence Training, Shooting Material Removed

The Ministry of Defence has removed shooting training material for Sarjana Penggerak Pembangunan Indonesia (SPPI) participants who are prospective managers of the Merah Putih Village/Subdistrict Cooperatives (KDKMP) and Merah Putih Fishermen Cooperatives (KNMP). Head of the Defence Information Bureau at the Ministry’s Secretariat General, Brigadier General TNI Rico Ricardo Sirait, stated that the removal is in line with the Ministry’s decision to discontinue the military basic training (latsarmil) for SPPI participants. In its place, the Ministry is conducting a State Defence and Managerial Training programme. Under the new format, physical activities and other military-related training will also be reduced. “With these adjustments, tactical and technical military activities have been reduced, including shooting activities which are no longer part of the current training implementation,” Rico said when confirmed in Jakarta on Monday (29/6). The changes were made after the Ministry evaluated the training system following the deaths of five latsarmil participants. The training programme will now be delivered with a new system, materials, and name. He stated that the training will now focus on values such as discipline, leadership, and national insight. “As well as the managerial readiness of participants as prospective cooperative managers,” he said. Furthermore, the Ministry will pay closer attention to the participants’ health conditions to ensure the education process for these prospective cooperative managers can proceed safely and orderly. The latsarmil programme recently came under scrutiny after five participants died while undergoing the training process at TNI educational units. The five participants died from various health conditions, including heat stroke, tuberculosis, and cardiac arrest. Following the incident, Minister of Defence Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin conducted a thorough evaluation of the latsarmil programme for the prospective Merah Putih Cooperative managers.