SPPI Manager Candidate Dies, Dudung: Military Training Not Too Harsh, Possibly Due to Illness

Presidential Chief of Staff Dudung Abdurachman stated that participants in the Sarjana Penggerak Pembangunan Indonesia (SPPI) programme who undergo basic military training had completed health checks before the training commenced. “Before the training was carried out, health tests were conducted. I believe everyone underwent health tests,” he said in a statement in Jakarta on Friday. Dudung said the implementation of the training is currently being evaluated and investigated. Based on the information he has received, no element of negligence has yet been found regarding the incident. According to him, the military training for SPPI participants is not classified as overly strenuous. However, there is a possibility that health factors or other issues affected the participants’ condition during the training. “As far as I know, military training for levels like SPPI is not too tough. But perhaps he was ill or something. However, this is being evaluated and there is an investigation,” he said. On the occasion, Dudung also expressed his condolences over the death of three SPPI participants during the activity and expressed hope that future training implementation would pay greater attention to procedures and safety factors to prevent casualties. Regarding the continuation of the training programme, Dudung believes such activities remain important for building discipline, loyalty, cooperation, and esprit de corps among participants. “We too, before joining the Red and White Cabinet, were first on a retreat in Magelang, because I think it is important for improving discipline, increasing loyalty, cooperation, esprit de corps, and so on. Hopefully, it will continue to be implemented,” he said.