TNI set to write itself into Constitution

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)