In early August, a number of generals grouped under the Association of Retired Army Officers (PPAD) visited the office of one of the largest political parties in the country. According to a party official, the meeting was driven by a common vision of nationhood between the two.
In this country, retired generals are deemed to be influential, despite the political reform that sent the military back to its barracks. Based on this, it is natural that political parties are interested in seeking support from military circles.
There are three consequences that are worth noticing in connection with civil-military relations in the post-reform era. First, political parties still need the military. Second, the military will still approach political parties to promote their interests. Third, there is a common goal to build professional armed forces through the realization of a Minimum Essential Force (MEF) plan.
Political parties cannot disregard the military as key backer of their interests at the national level. Some hard-line mass organizations have even openly requested support for their political agenda from some retirees. This reflects an inferiority complex, or to be precise, a civilian inferiority complex, vis-à-vis the military, which has had a long history of dominance in this country.
Other indicators of this inferiority complex are that retired military officers hold various strategic positions in the government, state institutions and companies, the private sector, diplomatic missions and so forth.
Another indicator is the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), and the fact that since its inception in 2003, it has never investigated graft allegations within the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the Defense Ministry.
The question is whether corruption is really absent in these two institutions, or whether the commission is afraid of implicating them in graft cases. The defense budget is among the largest expenditures, but these two institutions appear to remain off the KPK’s radar.
Common concern over poor leadership in the country was said to have been the issue that instigated the recent meeting between the retired army generals and party leaders.
The failure of civilian leadership has often paved the way for military involvement in the sphere of civil society.
In Indonesia, this has been shown through the events of Oct. 17, 1952, when Army soldiers surrounded the Presidential Palace and pointed their tank turrets in the direction of the building in a show of protest against civilian interference in military affairs.
Today, a number of retired generals have joined civil society groups in voicing their concerns about the various problems facing the nation. Regular weekly meetings have taken place in Jakarta, with the involvement of retired generals, to identify and seek solutions to national problems. Disputes among political parties, rampant corruption and the behavior of politicians and elites that is not considered reflective of national identity, were among the issues that retired officers indicated were the stiffest challenges facing the country.
The retired officers need to approach political parties to promote the need for change in this country. However, these meetings should be seen as the military’s intention to regain a strategic position post the elections of 2014.
The frequent public gatherings of retired officers indicate their desire to continue their involvement in determining the direction of Indonesia’s nation building process.
Meanwhile, the goal of national defense in the coming 15 years is to achieve a minimum shape of defense forces by 2024. In that year, the TNI is expected to become a professional force capable of dealing with military threats from other countries. The MEF plan is based on the available budget and the sufficiency of the defense system.
In the 2012 draft state budget, the government proposed Rp 64.4 trillion (US$7.23 billion) for defense, a 35.7 percent increase from the 2011 defense budget. In the next five years, to strengthen the nation’s defenses, the budget allocation for the procurement of primary defense equipment (Alutsista) will climb to about Rp 150 trillion.
Instead of adding to the deafening political clamor, the retired officers should contribute to the discussion about the development of the future national defense system.
As former deputy Army chief Lt. Gen. (ret.) Kiki Syahnakri says, TNI retired officers should help reconstruct the national defense doctrine, as challenges and threats to the nation have changed compared with those in the past.
In the era of democracy, any intention on the part of the military to become involved in the civil sphere will only disrupt the consolidation of democracy in Indonesia, which has been ongoing for 13 years.
The retired generals may claim that their moves are legitimate because they are no longer active. But the spirit of the corps within the military is known to be solid, so the initiative of the retirees may win sympathy and support from this institution.
The involvement of the military in civilian affairs can and will impede the TNI’s bid to complete the modernization of the national defense system, which is lagging behind our neighbors. If that happens, the MEF plan will be an illusion in 2024.
The modernization of the military has become imperative for this country. The involvement of elements of the military in civilian affairs will only weaken professionalism, which is also heralded as the new spirit of the TNI in its attempts to be formidable and respected.
Published on The Jakarta Post Newspaper, October 19 2011
Hipolitus Yolisandry Ringgi Wangge
In this country, retired generals are deemed to be influential, despite the political reform that sent the military back to its barracks. Based on this, it is natural that political parties are interested in seeking support from military circles.
There are three consequences that are worth noticing in connection with civil-military relations in the post-reform era. First, political parties still need the military. Second, the military will still approach political parties to promote their interests. Third, there is a common goal to build professional armed forces through the realization of a Minimum Essential Force (MEF) plan.
Political parties cannot disregard the military as key backer of their interests at the national level. Some hard-line mass organizations have even openly requested support for their political agenda from some retirees. This reflects an inferiority complex, or to be precise, a civilian inferiority complex, vis-à-vis the military, which has had a long history of dominance in this country.
Other indicators of this inferiority complex are that retired military officers hold various strategic positions in the government, state institutions and companies, the private sector, diplomatic missions and so forth.
Another indicator is the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), and the fact that since its inception in 2003, it has never investigated graft allegations within the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the Defense Ministry.
The question is whether corruption is really absent in these two institutions, or whether the commission is afraid of implicating them in graft cases. The defense budget is among the largest expenditures, but these two institutions appear to remain off the KPK’s radar.
Common concern over poor leadership in the country was said to have been the issue that instigated the recent meeting between the retired army generals and party leaders.
The failure of civilian leadership has often paved the way for military involvement in the sphere of civil society.
In Indonesia, this has been shown through the events of Oct. 17, 1952, when Army soldiers surrounded the Presidential Palace and pointed their tank turrets in the direction of the building in a show of protest against civilian interference in military affairs.
Today, a number of retired generals have joined civil society groups in voicing their concerns about the various problems facing the nation. Regular weekly meetings have taken place in Jakarta, with the involvement of retired generals, to identify and seek solutions to national problems. Disputes among political parties, rampant corruption and the behavior of politicians and elites that is not considered reflective of national identity, were among the issues that retired officers indicated were the stiffest challenges facing the country.
The retired officers need to approach political parties to promote the need for change in this country. However, these meetings should be seen as the military’s intention to regain a strategic position post the elections of 2014.
The frequent public gatherings of retired officers indicate their desire to continue their involvement in determining the direction of Indonesia’s nation building process.
Meanwhile, the goal of national defense in the coming 15 years is to achieve a minimum shape of defense forces by 2024. In that year, the TNI is expected to become a professional force capable of dealing with military threats from other countries. The MEF plan is based on the available budget and the sufficiency of the defense system.
In the 2012 draft state budget, the government proposed Rp 64.4 trillion (US$7.23 billion) for defense, a 35.7 percent increase from the 2011 defense budget. In the next five years, to strengthen the nation’s defenses, the budget allocation for the procurement of primary defense equipment (Alutsista) will climb to about Rp 150 trillion.
Instead of adding to the deafening political clamor, the retired officers should contribute to the discussion about the development of the future national defense system.
As former deputy Army chief Lt. Gen. (ret.) Kiki Syahnakri says, TNI retired officers should help reconstruct the national defense doctrine, as challenges and threats to the nation have changed compared with those in the past.
In the era of democracy, any intention on the part of the military to become involved in the civil sphere will only disrupt the consolidation of democracy in Indonesia, which has been ongoing for 13 years.
The retired generals may claim that their moves are legitimate because they are no longer active. But the spirit of the corps within the military is known to be solid, so the initiative of the retirees may win sympathy and support from this institution.
The involvement of the military in civilian affairs can and will impede the TNI’s bid to complete the modernization of the national defense system, which is lagging behind our neighbors. If that happens, the MEF plan will be an illusion in 2024.
The modernization of the military has become imperative for this country. The involvement of elements of the military in civilian affairs will only weaken professionalism, which is also heralded as the new spirit of the TNI in its attempts to be formidable and respected.
Published on The Jakarta Post Newspaper, October 19 2011
Hipolitus Yolisandry Ringgi Wangge
The writer is a research fellow at the Center for Global Civil Society Studies (Pacivis) at the University of Indonesia.
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