Palace Confirms Military Training for Kopdes Merah Putih Will Continue
The Vice Minister of State Secretariat, Juri Ardiantom, has stated that the basic military training (latsarmil) for prospective managers of the Red and White Village/Sub-district Cooperatives and Red and White Fishermen Cooperatives will proceed as planned.
He made this announcement following the deaths of five participants during the training process. The five individuals passed away due to various health conditions, ranging from heatstroke and tuberculosis to cardiac arrest.
“In general, because this process is already underway and the managers for the Red and White Cooperatives must begin work immediately, the training will continue. However, input from various parties will certainly be taken into consideration,” Juri said at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday (29/6).
Juri noted that the government is constantly conducting periodic evaluations regarding this matter to ensure that similar incidents do not recur. He also added that the government remains open to all feedback provided by the public.
The military training has recently come under scrutiny following the deaths of the five participants during their training at a TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) educational unit. The fatalities were attributed to diverse health issues, including heatstroke, tuberculosis, and heart failure.
The Ministry of Defence has also addressed the situation. The Head of the Ministry of Defence’s Human Resources Development Agency, Major General TNI Ketut Gede Wetan Pastia, stated that the training is designed to instil high discipline and the ability to work effectively under pressure.
“This national defence and managerial training is aimed at forming character, discipline, leadership, integrity, cooperation, responsibility, professionalism, the ability to work under pressure, and a spirit of service to the community,” Ketut said at the Ministry of Defence office in Jakarta on Saturday (27/6).
Ketut mentioned that prospective managers of the KDKMP and KNMP are required to possess these skills, as they will eventually manage public funds through the cooperatives.
Regarding the intensity of physical activities and semi-military training within the programme, Ketut clarified that the objective is not to turn cooperative managers into soldiers.
In relation to the participants who died during the training, he admitted that a comprehensive evaluation will be conducted. The Ministry of Defence has ensured that preventative measures will be implemented to ensure that training materials are adjusted to the specific health conditions of each participant.