The Armed Forces in parliament

The Armed Forces in parliament

It is now almost certain that the number of Armed Forces
representatives in the national legislature will be reduced from
the present 100 to 75. Representing the government, Armed Forces
(ABRI) Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung, Minister/ State Secretary
Moerdiono and Home Affairs Minister Yogie SM have met with the
leaders of the legislature to convey that intention. According to
plan, the government will submit a draft law concerning this
rather phenomenal move.

The plan is phenomenal because, for as long as the New Order
has been in power, the presence of an Armed Forces faction in the
House of Representatives has never been debated, either with
regard to the number of its representatives or its function. It
is also phenomenal because the Armed Forces faction in
parliament, which has so far been considered to represent the
Armed Forces dual function in society, itself initiated this move
towards a reduction.

To us, this move signals two things. First, the government's
political will to move towards greater democratization is
growing. Second, ABRI is becoming increasingly more open to
making the corrections which the times demand. The present
shrinking world order, global norms increasingly influence our
local standards.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta