Ministry of Defence Takes Over Management of Heroes' Cemetery

The government has officially transferred the authority for managing the Taman Makam Pahlawan (TMP) from the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) to the Ministry of Defence (Kemhan).

The transfer focuses on the physical and operational management of the cemetery areas, without shifting Kemensos’s authority regarding the conferral of hero titles.

“From the government, there is a policy on cemetery management only. All service marks and honours remain with the Ministry of Social Affairs, but the management of the Taman Makam Pahlawan will be transferred from the Ministry of Social Affairs to the Ministry of Defence,” said the Director General of Defence Potential (Dirjen Pothan) of Kemhan, Rear Admiral TNI Dr. Ir. Sri Yanto, at the Ministry of Defence in Central Jakarta on Thursday (23/4).

“The aim is to preserve heroic values that can later be transferred through national defence activities and so on,” he added.

Hitherto, the operational implementation of TMP in the field has often proceeded separately between the area managers and the ceremony overseers.

Merging tasks under one umbrella is expected to simplify bureaucracy and create a much more cohesive governance structure.

“In reality, in the field, the current management has protocols handled by the TNI, while cemetery management is by the Ministry of Social Affairs. This is to make it more integrated as one package,” explained Sri Yanto.

Furthermore, this transition carries a major mission to change the face of TMP from merely a burial area into an interactive historical education centre.

This revitalisation is designed so that the younger generation can absorb patriotic values directly.

“The main point is that we want to make the National TMP not something frightening but something proud,” said Sri Yanto.

“Hopefully, when society is proud of its heroes, proud of its history, it will end with pride in its nation. There, national defence sentiment will surely rise,” he continued.

Regarding the implementation process, Sri Yanto explained that both ministries are currently in the transition phase.

Full management by Kemhan can only be realised after changes to the underlying law.

While awaiting the regulation to be finalised in discussion with the DPR, Kemensos and Kemhan have agreed on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for joint management.

“Currently, it’s a transitional MoU for joint management between the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Defence. Not yet fully transferred, but joint management until the legal basis is clear, then it will be fully transferred,” clarified Sri Yanto.

Meanwhile, for Taman Makam Pahlawan at the regional level, Sri Yanto emphasised that this transfer policy does not extend to that domain.

Management of TMP in regional government areas will continue to refer to regulations set by the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri). Kemhan’s focus is purely on assets managed by Kemensos at the central level.

“It won’t reach regional governments, just those under the Ministry of Social Affairs. Because those in regional governments fall under the Ministry of Home Affairs,” explained Sri Yanto.

Previously, the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) and the Ministry of Defence (Kemhan) officially agreed on the transition of management of the National Taman Makam Pahlawan (TMP) along with several hero graves in various regions.

The agreement, outlined in a memorandum of understanding (MoU), was executed as a concrete step to follow up on President Prabowo Subianto’s directives regarding the optimisation of governance for these historical sites.

The document was signed directly by Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf (Gus Ipul) and Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin at the Kemhan building.

This agenda also served as a return visit by Gus Ipul, after Deputy Defence Minister Marshal Madya TNI (Ret.) Donny Ermawan Taufanto had earlier visited the Kemensos office in mid-March to refine the transfer plan.

“So today, we, along with the Deputy Minister, Secretary General, and Director General of Social Empowerment, along with some staff, met with the Defence Minister and his team to sign an MoU regarding the transfer of the Kalibata Taman Makam Pahlawan and several national hero graves in some regions,” explained Gus Ipul in a written statement on Friday (3/4), quoted from detiknews.