Military unlikely to quit politics: Experts

Military unlikely to quit politics: Experts

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

As Maj. Gen. Kohirin Suganda was wrapping up the military/police
faction's comments on President Megawati Soekarnoputri's progress
report at the last People's Consultative Assembly session on
Saturday, he suddenly recited a poem titled Pamit (Farewell).

The poem implied that the Indonesian military (TNI) had played
an important role in the independence struggle and during the so-
called development era, and that the reform movement had forced
it to leave politics.

The military/police faction has 38 members in the Assembly and
the House of Representatives.

Experts suggested on Wednesday that the TNI and police would
officially quit the House on Thursday, but would never leave
politics entirely.

Analysts Ikrar Nusa Bakti of the Indonesian Institute of
Sciences and Fachry Ali of the Institute for the Study and
Advancement of Business Ethics said on Wednesday the military
would continue to carry political weight, even outside the
legislative body.

"After all, the TNI is not a professional military. I think
the TNI is a political military," said Ikrar told The Jakarta
Post.

The military, which has been represented in the House since
1960, is to quit the legislative body today as part of reforms it
has undertaken since the downfall of former president Soeharto in
1998.

During a discussion in 2002 of amendments to the 1945
Constitution, the Assembly, the country's highest legislative
body, agreed that all members be directly elected in a general
election.

Since the TNI and police are not permitted to set up political
parties, the decision virtually ruled out the possibility of
active military and police officers holding a seat in the
Assembly, which comprises the House and the Regional
Representatives Council.

New House and regional council members elected on April 5 are
to be sworn in on Friday.

Ikrar said at least two reasons existed as to why the TNI
would likely continue to wield political influence: its
historical claim and competence.

The TNI's historical claim is that it played a crucial role in
nation building since the independence struggle, while its
institutional competence gives the TNI confidence that it can do
a better job than civilians.

The victory of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, a retired four-star
Army general, in the landmark presidential election could boost
the TNI's self-image.

Fachry, meanwhile, said the TNI as an institution may not
meddle in political affairs, but its personnel would still have a
strong influence on national politics.

"Just like Muslim organizations Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul
Ulama, the TNI will still have political influence," he said.

Both Ikrar and Fachry agreed that the position of TNI
commander, which is often perceived to be on a par with a Cabinet
minister and thus included in Cabinet meetings, would preserve
TNI's political influence.

"As long as the TNI commander is invited to Cabinet meetings,
the TNI will continue to play politics. The TNI can make
recommendations on various issues," Ikrar said.

Separately, Golkar secretary-general Lt. Gen. (ret) Budi
Harsono said Oct. 1 would be an historical day, not only for the
TNI, but also for the nation's democracy.

"The TNI's exit from the House will also mean its exit from
politics," said Budi, a former chairman of the House
military/police faction.

Budi hoped the TNI would become more professional and focused
on its duties to maintain national security.