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TNI deputy commander post 'unncesessary'
A proposal to reactivate the deputy commander post in the Indonesian Military (TNI) is being criticized as an unnecessary reform that could promote inefficiency
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proposal to reactivate the deputy commander post in the Indonesian Military (TNI) is being criticized as an unnecessary reform that could promote inefficiency.
Military expert Khairul Fahmi said the government should have a stronger reason for proposing such a move.
'I hope the post was [proposed] not just to accommodate the current military chief, who will retire soon,' Khairul said on Wednesday.
It has been reported that TNI chief Gen. Moeldoko will retire this year.
According to Khairul, if the government creates a deputy chief post, it may indicate that whomever is on deck to replace Moeldoko may not be up to the task.
On Tuesday, Moeldoko unveiled a series of structural reform proposals in a Cabinet meeting at the State Palace, one of which was the revival of the long-abandoned post of deputy commander.
Moeldoko said bringing back the post would allow the TNI to respond faster to security threats.
'The TNI is all about response. It is expected that the deputy commander can act [on behalf of the TNI commander] should the TNI commander be absent,' Moeldoko said.
Hanafi Rais, a legislator from House Commission I overseeing defense, foreign affairs and information, said President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo should be held responsible for elaborating on the necessity of the move should he decide to approve it.
'[If not,] people may think Jokowi has yet to complete some [power-]sharing [obligations] after being elected president,' he said.
Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno said reviving the deputy TNI commander post required further study, because above all, it was clear to him the military needed 'more infrastructure and personnel'.
The deputy commander position was created in 1998 when Gen. (ret.) Wiranto led the military, then known as the Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI), while serving as defense minister.
Then president Abdurrahman 'Gus Dur' Wahid abolished the post in September 2000 in order to streamline the TNI.
Military expert Mufti Makarim said the deputy commander position would create new problems, including overlapping lines of authority and violating the institutional vision of a strong military chief.
'The idea should be reviewed. Currently, the TNI chief controls three military forces, as he is a commander beyond a commander,' Mufti said in Jakarta on Wednesday.
According to Mufti, the precise balance of power between a TNI commander and a TNI deputy commander remained unclear, especially with respect to the Defense Ministry.
'The TNI's main duty is defense operations, while administrative matters are left to the Defense Ministry. The presence of a deputy chief may create overlapping authority that will weaken the military itself,' Mufti said.
