TNI must leave politics 'ahead of schedule'

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.