According to Ryamizard, he told Prabowo to bury the hatchet and continue to help build the nation.

'€œHe [Prabowo] is like a brother to me. He sent me a letter congratulating me on my appointment as minister,'€ said Ryamizard, who is also a confidante of Jokowi'€™s patron and Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle'€™s (PDI-P) chairwoman, Megawati Soekarnoputri.

'€œAlthough we have different political affiliations, our friendship remains. Pak Prabowo may look tough on the outside, but believe me, on the inside he is very soft. I know his character well,'€ he said.

Ryamizard is known as a confidante of Prabowo. Both graduated from the Military Academy in 1974.

Aside from discussing his relation with Prabowo, Ryamizard also told the media that he recommended the revival of the military'€™s (TNI) community-service program, popularly known as AMD, or ABRI Masuk Desa (military enters the village) during the New Order.

Soeharto used the AMD as a tool to spy on any form of resistance to his rule and to gain political support from villagers across the country to hold on to power.

'€œWe can accelerate rural development through the revival of the program,'€ said Ryamizard, citing his success spearheading an emergency response team after the 2004 tsunami in Aceh.

Ryamizard has also proposed placing the National Police under the Home Affairs Ministry rather than under the president, an idea he would present to Jokowi.

He argued that the since the TNI was placed under the Defense Ministry, there was no reason not to apply the same system to the National Police.

'€œNo countries place the police directly under the president,'€ he said.

Ryamizard'€™s takes on several issues

1. Relations between TNI and the National Police

- Place the National Police under the Home Affairs Ministry in line with the current hierarchical system that positions the TNI under the Defense Ministry.

- Merge the Police Academy and the Military Academy as was practiced during the Soeharto era to help put an end to the rampant clashes between their personnel.

- Organize more joint-entertainment and sports events between the TNI and the National Police, with dangdut concerts given priority.

2. South China Sea territorial dispute

- Urge counterparts from neighboring countries to refrain from using force to resolve conflicting claims.

- Strengthen TNI'€™s presence in Natuna areas, located within the vicinity of the flash-points.

3. Relations with neighbors

- Boost efforts for self-sufficient supplies of weapons, fighter jets and warships due to belief that TNI will be independent defending itself.

- Build highway along 2,000 kilometers of border lines with Malaysia in Kalimantan, and support the areas with oil palm plantations as buffers.

4. Future threats

- Terrorism, radicalism, illegal fishing and smuggling.

5. Terrorism

- Demand from the House of Representatives more authority for the TNI to engage in counterterrorism measures.

6. Antigraft measures

- Hold all officers accountable for budgetary spending

- Eliminate the roles of brokers in weapons procurement.

7. Total Defense System (Sistem Pertahanan Semesta or Sishanta)

- Strengthen the defense doctrine of Total Defense System to provide the mandatory participation of civilians in defending the nation.

8. Defense procurement

- Boost domestic production.

- Increase the transfer of technology from other countries.

- Enhance the shooting range of locally made rockets to 120 kilometers by next year.

9. TNI participation in non-combat missions

- Revive military engagement in community development.

- Intensify engagement with disaster mitigation, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

10. Relations with Prabowo Subianto

- The two remain friends.

- Friendship has helped ease tensions between Prabowo and Jokowi.

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