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After 2024 is the best time for TNI personnel to exercise voting rights: Commander
Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo has reiterated that all active personnel should be able to exercise their right to vote.
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Fighting for rights -- Indonesian Military commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo (front, second from right) answers queries from members of the House of Representatives’ special committee assigned to deliberate an elections bill during a hearing on Tuesday. Attorney General Office junior prosecutor for general crimes Noor Rachmad (front, second left) and the National Police's general crimes division director, Brig. Gen. Agus Andianto (right) were also present. (JP/Margareth S.Aritonang)
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ndonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo has reiterated that all active personnel should be able to exercise their right to vote. However, he said, such a right was likely applicable only in the next 10 years.
In a hearing at the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Gatot asked lawmakers to reconsider extending voting rights for TNI members but suggested this should be done after 2024, when legislative, presidential and regional elections would take place simultaneously for the first time in the country’s history.
“We can implement this after the 2024 simultaneous elections. You can examine the exact time for TNI members to be able to exercise their voting rights,” he told members of a special committee assigned to deliberate a bill on elections.
Gatot said after 2024 was the best time for parties to determine the fate of voting rights for active military personnel, concerning the Indonesian public.
Gatot conveyed his suggestion to respond to lawmakers’ queries about his expectation that TNI personnel should be allowed to exercise their rights to vote. The military commander has highlighted the issue in public discussions several times, saying that by denying political rights of military personnel, the country treated them like foreign citizens.
Lawmakers expressed immediate rejections over Gatot’s proposal saying that TNI’s impartiality during elections is essential.
“It’s better for TNI to stand above all elements of the country,” said Golkar lawmaker Agun Gunandjar Sudarsa. Participating in the elections would disable TNI to embrace all groups impartially, he added. (ebf)
