TNI set to write itself into Constitution

JAKARTA (JP): The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) is almost certain to write the political role of the Indonesian Military (TNI) into the 1945 Constitution under a compromise among the country's major political parties.

The ongoing MPR Annual Session will soon deliberate a new package of amendments to the basic law which includes a proposal to allow "certain groups" who do not have voting rights in general elections to have some representation in the Assembly. While not naming TNI specifically, it is widely understood that this concession is intended for TNI.

Although TNI has long played a significant role in Indonesian politics, this will be the first time that it has been given constitutional recognition. Previously, its political role was sanctioned by MPR rulings.

Both major political factions in MPR, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and Golkar, said on Tuesday that while they opposed "in principle" giving political powers to TNI, they would endorse the proposal, nevertheless, as a political compromise.

Sophan Sophiaan, chairman of PDI Perjuangan, said his faction was against the Military remaining in politics.

"But we could not do it immediately for the sake of national unity," he told The Jakarta Post.

He said the process must be gradual, starting with phasing the Military out of the House of Representatives, targeted for 2004. "TNI's exit from MPR could be done subsequently," he said.

Students and nongovernmental organizations have called for the elimination of the 38 TNI/Police seats in the House and the Assembly.

The seats were given in return for agreements by the two institutions to waive general election voting rights of all members of the two organizations.

Jacob Tobing, chairman of the MPR's Ad Hoc Committee which drafted the proposed constitutional amendments, said the Military's presence in MPR was still needed to promote national unity and the political stability.

"We reached a compromise that the Military will maintain their representatives at the Assembly temporarily, because they do not use their voting rights in general elections," he said of the deliberations of the committee.

TNI's political role has already been drastically reduced since the downfall of former president Soeharto in 1998. Its representation in both the House and the Assembly has been cut and its presence in central and regional governments has been reduced following a ruling requiring all officers taking up civilian posts to resign from active duty.

A senior Golkar MPR member said that his faction would listen to the opinions of the people regarding this matter before giving its endorsement.

Stressing that the matter was far from being a foregone conclusion, Slamet Effendy Yusuf said Golkar would not force the proposed amendment if there were strong public opposition.

"All materials for constitutional amendment will still be deliberated by a commission. We are open to suggestions from the public in the meantime," he said.

Syamsul Mu'arif, another Golkar MPR member, underscored a 1998 MPR decree which called for a gradual phasing out of the Military from politics.

Golkar would propose two options concerning the matter, he said.

The first is to maintain TNI's presence in MPR but without any voting right, and the second is to set a deadline when TNI should leave the House and the Assembly.

Opposition to inclusion of TNI's political role in an amendment to the 1945 Constitution came from the smaller factions: the National Awakening Party (PKB), the United Development Party (PPP) and the Reform Factions.

"We have to stick to our commitment to return the Military and the police to their roles in defense and security," Yusuf Muhammad, chairman of the PKB faction, said. "PKB rejects TNI's presence in the Assembly because of the Military's bad image in the past," he said.

Alfi Achmad of the Reform Faction said: "It will be better for the Military to quit politics and become professional. Democracy will not advance as long as TNI keeps its political role."

PPP faction insisted that it was not part of the compromise in MPR to recognize TNI's political role.

The Military and police should no longer intervene in civilian matters, Bachtiar Chamsyah, an MPR member from PPP said. (rms)