TNI to downgrade territorial affairs post
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
In a move designed to go some way toward relinquishing its social and political roles, the Indonesian Military (TNI) will downgrade its territorial affairs post, which is currently directly subordinate to the TNI chief, into an assistant's post under the chief of general affairs.
The downgrading will be carried out following the appointment of the TNI Chief of Territorial Affairs Lt. Gen. Agus Widjojo as deputy speaker of the People Consultative Assembly (MPR) for the TNI/National Police faction, replacing Lt. Gen. Hari Sabarno, now minister of home affairs.
"There will be no official who can hold two posts at the same time. As Mas Agus has been assigned to the Assembly, we are currently reorganizing our institution. That's the best way for the TNI," TNI chief Adm. Widodo AS said on Monday after attending Agus's inauguration as Assembly deputy speaker at the Assembly building.
Asked when the downgrade would be carried out, Widodo said, "the process will take time and there will also be several other steps involved.
The planned downgrade of the territorial affairs post would serve as a step forward for the TNI in relinquishing its social and political functions, and moving toward a greater focus on defense.
The TNI's territorial affairs post was created when the TNI undertook internal reforms in 1998, when the social and political affairs post was eliminated.
The post's incumbent, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, was the first chief of territorial affairs before being replaced by Agus in 1999.
The TNI's social and political roles, and later its territorial roles, have been criticized by many as having hampered the development of democracy because they allow the military to become deeply involved in civilian affairs.
Agus himself floated the idea of handing over the TNI's territorial functions to the National Police and provincial administrations.
Nevertheless, Agus suggested that the transfer of such territorial functions should be conducted gradually, starting from the lowest level of the TNI territorial structure at the district and regency levels.
Agus said on Monday that the territorial affairs post would be downgraded to an assistant's post under the TNI chief of general affairs.
"This territorial role, which constitutes one of our defense roles, used to be subordinate to the general affairs' post. So there will be no problem with the implementation of the territorial role should my post be eliminated," Agus, a 1970 graduate of the Armed Forces Academy, said.
He declined, however, to reveal the time frame set by the TNI for the implementation of the plan, saying that "the TNI headquarters in Cilangkap (East Jakarta) is working on it."