Soldiers barred from moonlighting

MEDAN, North Sumatra: The chief of the Bukit Barisan military command, Maj. Gen. Tri Tamtomo, reiterated on Monday that any soldiers found providing protection for places of entertainment would be severely punished.

He said that the some 25,000 soldiers under his command had to be professional and not abuse their positions for personal gain.

"This is an order from the chief of the Indonesian Military (TNI), and it is not negotiable," he said.

As a result of their low salaries, soldiers often moonlight as security guards for places of entertainment, companies, gambling dens, etc., which often results in a conflict of interest. -- JP