'TNI should stay neutral in elections'

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto urged politicians on Friday not to invite the military back into politics and suggested that the institution stay neutral in the 2004 general elections.

"I ask the people to allow us (TNI) not to exercise our political rights," Endriartono told reporters.

"If in the past we supported certain political parties in this country, now I ask politicians not to encourage us to get involved in this party or that party," said Endriartono, referring to the close-relationship between TNI and the New Order ruling party Golkar during Soeharto's 32 years of leadership.

Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Amien Rais said earlier that he would enlist a military officer as his running mate in 2004, when the country is expected to hold its first ever direct presidential election.

Under the amended 1945 Constitution, the presence of TNI in the House of Representatives will be scrapped in 2004, while the People's Consultative Assembly in 2009. --JP