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West Java to also send 'unruly' adults to military barracks
West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi announced that the initiative will begin in June and will target individuals who “disrupt public order,” such as drunkards, street thugs, extortionists and those who undermine the region’s investment climate.
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Students stand at the ready on May 5, 2025, in a military barracks while undergoing an intensive character and discipline training at a military education center in West Bandung regency, West Java. Hundreds of students from various regions across West Java who are involved in street brawls and motorbike gangs or addicted to online games are undergoing an intensive training led by Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel for at least 14 days. (Antara/Abdan Syakura)
T
he West Java administration has unveiled a controversial plan to send "unruly adults" to military barracks for character education training, expanding a program that was originally aimed at addressing student delinquency.
West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi announced that the initiative will begin in June and will target individuals who “disrupt public order,” such as drunkards, street thugs, extortionists and those that undermine the region’s investment climate.
“Those who commit criminal acts will be prosecuted accordingly, while those who have not broken the law will be sent to military barracks to undergo character education,” Dedi said in a recent statement, as quoted by Kompas.
To help mitigate the economic impact on participants' families, Governor Dedi Mulyadi stated that during the program, participants will be assigned jobs as construction workers, farmers, porters or tree planters. The West Java administration will compensate them for their work, with the payments sent directly to their families.
Sapta Yulianto Dasuki, Secretary of the West Java Office of National and Political Unity (Kesbangpol), said the administration was currently preparing the necessary facilities to organize the program.
“We're preparing everything, including compiling a list of potential participants,” he said.
Since May 2, several local administrations in West Java— including Bandung City and Purwakarta Regency—have begun using regional military posts to run month-long intensive character training programs for students deemed “difficult to discipline,” engaged in “risky behaviors” or those suspected of being involved in criminal activities.
