TheJakartaPost
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A rocky road to military professionalism
Keeping a political role to a minimum will place TNI on the right track towards a world-class military force.
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All ready: Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel attend a parade during the TNI anniversary celebration ceremony in Jakarta in 2012. (Kompas.com/Fidel Ali)
P
resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo recently instructed all government institutions, including the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police (Polri), to focus on their main duties and warned cabinet members against issuing statements beyond their scope and authority.
Jokowi’s remarks could easily be interpreted as a response to an uproar that created tension between TNI and Polri. This controversy began after TNI chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo got wind of a plan to illegally import 5,000 firearms by a non-military institution.
To clarify the matter, Coordinating Political, Security and Legal Affairs Minister Wiranto said there was some sort of miscommunication about the procurement of the firearms. He admitted, however, that the police had purchased firearms from the state arms producer PT Pindad.
While Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu echoed Wiranto’s attempts to control the damage, a number of politicians and civil society activists accused Gatot of playing political games when he leak information about the purchase.
