TNI must leave politics 'ahead of schedule'

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police will have to leave politics ahead of schedule as the newly proposed bill on general elections states they will no longer be represented in the legislative bodies in 2004.

Despite a negative response from the TNI, the government insists that servicemen who wish to pursue a political career play by the new rules.

Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said on Tuesday the draft bill dismissed the TNI's political role as an institution, but assured soldiers of their political rights as citizens.

The bill on general elections gives soldiers the right to vote even if they are still in active duty, a practice made effective in the 1955 general election.

The TNI and police have been barred from elections over the past three decades, but they were assured reserved seats in both the House of Representatives (DPR) and People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

MPR issued Decree No. 7/2000 which stipulates that the TNI presence at the House will be accommodated until 2004 and at the Assembly until 2009.

Hari said the only route for military individuals to enter politics will be through the Regional Representatives Council (DPD), which along with the DPR will make up the MPR.

He underlined that servicemen had to resign from the TNI as soon as they won DPD seats.

"It doesn't matter if the TNI considers this (the bill) as a means to corner them, it's all for the sake of democracy," Hari said after the meeting on security and political affairs.

The bill which grants the military and police the right to vote but withdraws their right to hold seats in the legislative bodies has sparked dissenting opinions between government officials.

It is quite a surprise that Hari, who is a retired three-star general, along with Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, a retired four-star general, supported the bill.

Earlier, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said that he was not aware of the articles, while TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said the military had never been involved in the drafting of the bill.

Sjafrie also suspected that the right to vote for TNI personnel would only hamper the institution's internal reforms, which suggests it distances itself from politics.

Commenting on the criticism, Hari defended his presentation of the bill in front of the President, Vice President, related ministers and the TNI chief before submitting it to the House last week.

"Some of the ministers may not have attended the presentation, or spent any time reading the bill. Perhaps that's why they are not aware of the articles," he said.

In response to TNI's objection to the bill, Susilo said there were ways for the institution to express their position, particularly through their representatives in the House.

"Should Maj. Gen. Sjafrie repudiate it, he should talk to the TNI faction members at the House, because the bill is still under discussion," Susilo asserted.

The government expected the deliberation of the bills on political parties, general elections and the status and position of the House and Assembly legislators to finish ahead of the general election in 2004.

Only the election bill, which is to replace the old law passed in 1999, has been presented to the House so far.

The making of the bills has been impeded by the slow amendment process of the 1945 Constitution, which remains unfinished, especially on the issue of the presidential election system.

The Assembly plans to endorse the amendments in the next annual session in August.