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ational Police Chief Gen. Tito Karnavian has opted to “maintain the good ties between the police and the Indonesian Military” (TNI), and not spill the beans during a hearing with the House of Representatives’ Commission III overseeing legal affairs.

Speaking in public for the first time after a weapons fiasco that turned military-police relations sour, Tito repeatedly emphasized that the future of the relationship between the institutions was “more important” than
the controversy.

“I have talked to Pak Gatot [Nurmantyo, the TNI chief], and we agree that the police and the TNI must remain solid,” Tito told lawmakers on Thursday.

He said he had also reminded his personnel to be aware of a “third party” that was using the momentum to intentionally create a rift between the police and the military.

Tito also said the weapons fiasco had been handled by Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto, who would later explain the details regarding an ongoing investigation into the matter.

Tensions between the police and the military had escalated since Gatot revealed in front of retired military members last month that an institution outside the military had tried to import 5,000 illegal weapons “on behalf” of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

His remark was immediately followed by the reporting of a shipment of 280 stand-alone grenade launchers (SAGL) and 5,392 rounds of ammunition, ordered by the National Police’s Mobile Brigade (Brimob), at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, sparking a debate between both institutions on weapons
procurement.

Several officials have spoken against Gatot in response to the matter.

Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu, for example, said that Gatot had been “misinformed.”

He had said earlier that the procurement of strategic weapons by state institutions should refer to the 2012 Defense Industry Law, which stipulates the purchase should proceed after permission from the defense minister.

To avoid any further brouhaha in public, Wiranto later set up a team of 11 state institutions, including the police and the military, to thoroughly discuss the matter and seek better coordination of weapons procurement among related institutions. The review is still ongoing.

Commission III lawmakers also stopped short when asked about the controversy surrounding the weapons procurement.

“The case is closed. It was all due to poor communication between related government officials; a problem that the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister is still addressing,” Commission III chairman Bambang Soesatyo said.

To push for a comprehensive review of the weapons procurement, Gatot has filed a request with the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) to audit the Defense Ministry’s weapons procurement system.

It was a follow-up from a corruption case surrounding the purchase of the AgustaWestland 101 helicopter.

Gatot cited three suspects from the Indonesian Air Force — identified as First Marshall FA, Let. Col. BW and Warrant Officer Class II SS — who were all charged with insubordination, misuse of authority, failing to follow procedures on goods and services procurement, embezzlement and forgery.

The BPK, however, has yet to conclude its audit of the procurement, an agency spokesman said.

“The audit is still ongoing and is delving not only into the [AgustaWestland 101 helicopter] case, but also into the whole weapons procurement system,” BPK spokesman Yudi Ramdan told reporters.

He also said an audit of the ministry’s weapons procurement system had initially been included in the BPK’s annual audit plan, and any requests filed during a particular year, including the move by Gatot, would be used as “inputs” to support the agency’s audit process.