Plan to Build Development Battalions Deemed Ineffective, Academic Reveals Reasoning

Jakarta, VIVA – The plan to build hundreds of Territorial Development Battalions (Yon TP) proposed by Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has elicited responses from various circles, including academics, legal experts, lecturers, and activists. The Defence Minister’s proposal is considered to have the potential to trigger agrarian conflicts and land grabbing of customary land by the TNI, as has occurred in various regions from Sabang to Merauke. To discuss the polemic, the Merah Putih Institute held a public discussion with the theme ‘Questioning Defence Policy in the Acceleration of Hundreds of Territorial Development Battalions: State Resilience or the Defence Minister’s Ambition’. In the discussion, Fauzan Ohorella, Director of MPI and a Democracy and Civil Supremacy Activist, voiced criticism of the proposal. According to him, Law No. 34 of 2004 concerning the Indonesian National Armed Forces, in Article 7 paragraph (2) letter b concerning Military Operations Other Than War (OMSP), contains no points regarding the TNI managing Development, Agriculture, Health, and Community Guidance. ‘Paragraph (3) of Article 7 of the TNI Law also affirms that the implementation of OMSP must be based on state political policies and decisions,’ said Fauzan Ohorella. Fauzan also stated that Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin is a ‘Super Busy’ Minister. He assessed that Minister Sjafrie is too preoccupied with sectors that are not the domain of Defence. ‘I assess it that way, because from banking, economy, development and community guidance, Minister Sjafrie wants to take over everything. That is why I say he is the Super Busy Defence Minister, where this falls outside the main duties and functions or is not the domain of National Defence,’ Fauzan asserted. Furthermore, Fauzan also assessed that President Prabowo Subianto, as Chairman of the National Defence Council, harbours concerns that the construction of the Yon TP will not only cause conflict between civilians and the military but will also become a large burden on the state budget. ‘We feel that President Prabowo as Head of Government and Chairman of the DPN will not take such a huge risk regarding the ambition of Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin with this Yon TP proposal. Because this will not only cause civilian-military conflict but also a large burden on the state budget in the future,’ Fauzan stressed. Constitutional Law Academic Rorano stated that the military’s entry into civilian space would only threaten democracy and human rights. The more the TNI is involved in the civilian realm, the more constraints will occur in the governance process. ‘What is the urgency of this battalion that it must be formed? Today, for instance, has the Ministry of Agriculture’s functions ceased to operate so the TNI must get involved, or are civilians no longer effective in social administration affairs, thus requiring the TNI to handle such matters,’ Rorano asserted. On the other hand, Constitutional Law Lecturer at the University of Jakarta, Yepiter, mentioned that the 1945 Constitution explicitly mandates the President as the supreme holder of power over the Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as the holder of governmental (executive) power.