'TNI should stay neutral in elections'

'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