TNI retains political clout despite exit from MPR"

The Jakarta Post Jakarta

The Indonesian Military (TNI)'s surrender of its seats in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) has been applauded by many, but one analyst says the retreat is symbolic, noting that much of the TNI's political clout lies outside the MPR.

Military analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Rizal Sugma said the TNI's decision to pull out from the MPR by 2004, or five years ahead of schedule, was encouraging but far from adequate.

In fact, the TNI's exit was more "by default rather than design," he told participants at a media discussion on politics held by the CSIS on Thursday.

The TNI and the National Police occupy seats at the MPR through interest group factions whose members are not elected. They also occupy complimentary seats at the House of Representatives.

Rizal said the TNI and the National Police had to pull out of the MPR, otherwise they would have stood in the way of the amendments to the 1945 Constitution.

The MPR, which until last week was the country's highest law- making body, agreed to the fourth and final batch of amendments and in the process, scrapped the interest group factions from the legislature.

After the 2004 general elections, the new MPR will consist only of elected members from the House of Representatives and the Regional Representatives Council.

Rizal said the TNI's slowness in giving up its role in politics was also the result of civilian incompetence.

As long as politicians continued to rely on the TNI to further their own interests, the TNI would retain its clout, he said.

"Politicians shouldn't be pulling the military into politics to garner support against competition from other parties," Rizal later told reporters.

Analysts, and politicians as well, have long noted TNI's strategic role in politics. Last year the TNI played a crucial role in bringing down President Abdurrahman Wahid -- by simply ignoring his orders.

Abdurrahman fell out of favor with the TNI due to his tough reform measures. He marked his first months in office by sacking retired General Wiranto as Defense Minister in late 1999.

Abdurrahman reshuffled the military in an attempt to force them to bow to his government, all of which eventually cost him its support.

His successor, President Megawati Soekarnoputri, is seen as refraining from meddling in the TNI's internal affairs. Activists accuse her of allowing the TNI to take over the state's security policies.

"It's still a long way off before we have a professional military," Rizal said.

He identified four steps the government must take to build and secure a professional military.

Firstly, the government must issue a national defense policy which clearly defined the military's role and its needs, he said.

Secondly, the government should place the TNI under the defense minister instead of directly under the president. "Right now, the TNI chief's position is equal to that of a minister, but the president can't be bothered with issues like troop deployments."

The third step was to increase the military's budget as it covered only 30 percent of the TNI's costs -- a condition that lended the military some financial independence from the state, he said.

Fourthly, the government should draw up "rules of engagement" to provide soldiers with rules of professional conduct.