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Jokowi and Gatot discuss controversial remarks
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said on Wednesday that he had met Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo after the general’s controversial remarks over weapons procurement that caused an uproar in the country.
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President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo speaks to journalists after attending a groundbreaking ceremony at Al-Hikamussalafiyah Islamic boarding school in Purwakarta, West Java, on April 25. (Courtesy of the Presidential Office/file)
P
resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said on Wednesday that he met Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo after the general’s controversial remarks over weapons procurement that caused an uproar in the country.
The four-star military general met Jokowi at Halim Perdanakusumah Air Force Base in East Jakarta on Tuesday night, after the President wrapped up a working visit to Bali.
“[Gatot] has explained. I suppose the clarification made by Coordinating Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Minister [Wiranto] is already clear. I need not repeat it,” Jokowi told reporters.
In a speech at a meeting of retired military members at the TNI headquarters on Friday, Gatot alleged that an institution outside the military tried to import 5,000 illegal weapons “on behalf” of Jokowi.
Read also: TNI commander ruffles political feathers
He also said he would "attack" the National Police if they had weapons capable of damaging tanks, warships or aircraft.
On Sunday, Wiranto clarified Gatot’s statement on Sunday, saying that the TNI commander was "misinformed" about the plan by the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) to purchase about 500 weapons from state-owned weapons manufacturer PT Pindad for “training purposes.”
Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said on Tuesday that the ministry had received the proposal on May to procure 521 firearms and 72,750 bullets.
Gatot’s remarks have been blasted by activists and politicians who said his statement could incite tensions between the military and the police. Some even went so far as to accuse him of bringing the military into the political sphere. (bbs)
