Understanding the Indonesian Armed Forces Territorial Staff and the Return of the Kaster Position

The position of Head of Territorial Staff (Kaster) within the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) has been reactivated after having been abolished in 2001.

In a recent staffing decision, TNI Panglima General Agus Subiyanto appointed Lieutenant General Bambang Trisnohadi as Kaster TNI. Bambang previously served as Commander of the Combined Regional Defence Command (Pangkogabwilhan) III.

Looking back at history, the Kaster TNI position was abolished in 2001 during the presidency of Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), Indonesia’s fourth president. The position was eliminated because the then-incumbent Kaster TNI, Lieutenant General Agus Widjojo, was being appointed Vice-Chairman of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) representing the TNI/Police faction.

Agus held the Kaster position from 1999 to 2001. During the 1998–1999 period, the position was held by Lieutenant General Susilo Bambang Yudhono (SBY). Prior to becoming Kaster TNI, the position was known as Head of Socio-Political Staff (Kasospol), which SBY previously held in 1998.

After the Kaster position was abolished, territorial functions at TNI headquarters were carried out through the structure of the Territorial Assistant (Aster) to the Panglima TNI.

According to the Presidential Regulation on TNI organisational structure, the Territorial Staff TNI is tasked with assisting the Panglima in executing staff functions in regional defence activities and regional empowerment to realise regional deterrence and support capabilities in support of TNI’s core duties.

The Territorial Staff TNI is led by the Territorial Assistant to the Panglima, who reports directly to the Panglima. The Territorial Assistant to the Panglima is supported by a Deputy Territorial Assistant to the Panglima.

With the reactivation of the Kaster TNI position, the territorial organisational structure has undergone adjustment. The previously existing Territorial Assistant (Aster) TNI position has undergone organisational validation.

Major General Suhardi, who previously held the Aster TNI position, has been reassigned as Deputy Kaster TNI.

CNNIndonesia.com contacted the TNI Public Information Centre Chief (Kapuspen) Brigadier General Aulia Dwi Nasrullah regarding the reasons for the reactivation of the Kaster TNI position, but had not received a response at the time of publication.