Casa NC 212-200 planes, a combination of the Skuadron 600 Wing Air 1 and the Skuadron 800 Wing Air 2 from the Indonesian Military naval aviation center, carry out a fly past with a parade of warships in the background during the rehearsal of the Indonesian Military anniversary at the Sunda Strait, Cilegon, Banten, Tuesday (3/10). The commemoration of the military’s 72nd anniversary, which will be attended by President Joko Widodo at Indah Kiat Port, will see all of the military’s primary weaponry defense systems from the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — On reaching its 72nd year on Thursday (5/10), the Indonesian Military (TNI) has made achievements and won accolades. However, the TNI needs to continue its path to becoming a professional military organization.
A Kompas survey shows that 90.6 percent of respondents are satisfied with the TNI’s performance in defending the unity and sovereignty of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). Meanwhile, 70.3 percent of respondents agree that the TNI has become more professional (Kompas, 2/10).
University of Indonesia international relations lecturer Edy Prasetyono said in Jakarta on Wednesday (4/10) that reform was not the responsibility of the TNI alone. Military reform should also involve civilians, particularly those in the government and other stakeholders. The success of the TNI reform program would also depend on strong civil authority. The polemic on importing weapons that emerged recently indicated a powerless civil authority.
He added, “...In order to be able to control the military objectively, civilians need to understand about defense.”
Professional
Edy said the TNI’s professionalism as a military institution was indicated by the three elements of competency, welfare and accountability.
A soldier must focus on competence, Edy said, which was combat readiness. The basic competency of a soldier is to fight wars and defend the NKRI’s sovereignty.
Because members of the military profession risk their lives for the country, TNI personnel must be supported, particularly in their welfare, such as in their salary, allowance and insurance. The budget needed fora professional TNI was at least 2.5 percent of the gross domestic product. “Currently, it is only around 0.9-1 percent,” Edy said. He added that the TNI also needed to be aware of its accountability, in terms of being responsible and flexible.
House Commission I official Supiadin Aries Saputra said the defense budget for still minimum. In the 2018 State Budget, for example, the Defense Ministry’s budget is Rp 105.7 trillion, lower than the ministry’s 2017 budget projection of Rp 108 trillion. “Commission I will try to maintain an amount of at least Rp 108 trillion,” he promised.
Challenges
Supiadin said the proxy wars that were emerging alongside the rapid development of technology were a present-day challenge for the TNI. In the future, the TNI must have the capability to anticipate cyber wars. A minimum budget was not adequate for the TNI to maximize its technological capabilities. “Cyber wars are the war of the future,” he said.
Former TNI chief Gen. (ret) Moeldoko, in a general study titled “Reading Indonesia: TNI and State Politics” said in Jakarta yesterday that the present-day condition required the TNI to be able to understand global development. The threats on the global stage could be seen from the fact that major powers run the world by relocating conflict zones from one place to another.
Moeldoko also hoped the country would not fight internally or weaken each other. In doing so, he said, the country would be left behind in this highly competitive world. Moeldoko said he hoped the TNI could adjust with the public needs. The strategic alliance of the TNI and the citizenry must be maintained and implemented in accordance with it score duties.
Elsam deputy director of research Wahyudi Djafar said the main duties of the TNI are stipulated in Law No 34/2005 on the TNI. Article 7, Point 1 states the TNI’s main duties are to defend the sovereignty of the state and nation based on Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution. It is also to protect the people from threats and disturbances against the unity of the state and nation.
Those main duties are carried out through military operations, either combat or non-combat. These include operations dealing with armed separatist movements, armed rebellions, terrorism, other kinds of domestic threats and border patrol.
“These main duties must all refer to the policies and political decisions of the state,” Wahyudi said, adding that such political decisions came from the President and the House of Representatives.
PARA Syndicate executive director Ari Nurcahyo said he hoped the TNI could accommodate political education. “The TNI must be able to set an example for the public in the implementation of state politics,” he said.
