Dudung Abdurachman Affirms TNI Netrality In The 2024 Election, This Is Agum Gumelar And Doni Monardo's Attitude

Kasad General TNI Dr. Dudung Abdurachman emphasized the neutrality of the TNI in the 2024 election. (IST)

JAKARTA The neutrality of the TNI is again in the spotlight ahead of the 2024 General Election. This happened when retired (in particular the TNI-AD) had different choices and political support. Mainly related to presidential candidates. That's why the General Chairperson of PPAD for the period 2021-2026, Lt. Gen. TNI Retired Dr (HC) Doni Monardo and Chairman of the DPP PEPABRI for the period 2022-2027, General TNI Purn Agum Gumelar supported the statement by Kasad General TNI Dudung Abdurachman.

The latest to be witnessed was the former Army Chief of Staff, General TNI Purn Subagyo HS, who supported the Gerindra Party presidential candidate, Prabowo Subianto. Meanwhile, the former TNI Commander, General TNI Retired Andika Perkasa, is a presidential candidate from PDIP, Ganjar Pranowo. Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Retired TNI R. Ediwan Prabowo, SIP and a number of other retired officials in the Anies Baswedan camp.

Responding to this, Army Chief of Staff General TNI Dudung Abdurachman said retired TNIs had the right to determine their respective political attitudes. However, he ensured that the support of the retired soldiers did not reflect the attitude of the Indonesian Armed Forces Retired Association (Pepabri) and the Army Retired Union (PPAD).

Dudung made his statement after attending the relocation of the Armed and Transport Detachment Headquarters (Denbekang) in Solo, Friday, July 14. Dudung also reminded members of the TNI-AD to be active in maintaining neutrality in the 2024 political year.

"In this political situation, the TNI must be loyal. Be firm in loyalty to me as the Army Chief of Staff, I to the TNI Commander, and the TNI Commander to be loyal to the President of the Republic of Indonesia. That is loyalty. perpendicular," he said.

Like a tit for tat. Army Chief of Staff General Dudung's statement was responded to by the Chairperson of the PEPABRI DPP for the 2022-2027 period, General TNI Purn Agum Gumelar, and General Chairperson of PPAD for the period 2021-2026, Lt. Gen. Retired Dr (HC) Doni Monardo.

Separately, the two of them agreed with the statement of Army Chief of Staff General Dudung. "As a forum for ABRI retired, the political stance of PEPABRI is very clear, namely state politics, not partisan politics. As an organization, PEPABRI is neutral. He is firm with TNI Headquarters," said Agum Gumelar, a graduate of Akabri 1968.

The man who was born in Tasikmalaya 77 years ago emphasized that PEPABRI is a non-party mass organization with a fighter character in continuing his service to give the best dharma to the nation and state.

"The PEPABRI vision is clear, 'Realizing unity and integrity as well as PEPABRI solidarity by continuing to improve the welfare of its members and having social concern for the Nation and Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia'," he added.

On several occasions related to organizational political attitudes, Doni Monardo launched a firm statement. "In AD-ART it is clear, PPAD administrators who are practical politics must resign. So, if you want to enter practical politics, don't be a administrator. Because, the management is a mirror of the PPAD organization that is non-partisan and neutral in the election," said the 2014-2015 Kopassus Danjen.

Therefore, the attitude of the retired people who have different supports and different parties, is a personal attitude. Not at all reflecting the attitude of PPAD.

Agum and Doni hope that the public will be wise in seeing the phenomenon of retired journalists who are practical politics. Different choices are a necessity. Never mind in the environment of retired people, while in just one family there can be different choices. That's what is called political rights. individual rights. human rights. said Agum Gumelar.

Doni Monardo warned PPAD members who are practical in politics to uphold sportsmanship values. Prioritizing the interests of the state above the interests of the group. "You have to be an example, an elegant political way, polite, not badmouthing or exposing disgrace," concluded Doni.

Doni hopes that the increasing number of retired people who enter politics will have an impact on the progress of the nation. "We are happy that Indonesia will be better, more harmonious. In the future it will also become a role model for the younger generation, so that there will be a transformation and transfer of better leadership batons for the realization of Indonesia Gold 2045," added the Head of BNPB 2019-2021.

In order to open space so that retired soldiers can serve in distributing their political aspirations, PPAD has provided "Political Briefing for Retired TNI AD" three times. The event was intended to provide provisions for retired people who wanted to enter politics.

The first briefing took place on September 15, 2022, which was followed offline and also online by retired people from Sabang to Merauke.

The committee presented retired people who had gone into politics, and succeeded in becoming representatives of the people in the DPR RI. The three of them are examples of retired people who have different choices of their parties.

They are Lt. Gen. TNI Retired Lodewijk Paulus (Secretary General of Golkar), Major General TNI Retired Supiadin A.S. (Nasdem), and Major General TNI Retired TB Hasanuddin (PDIP).

A similar event was repeated on Thursday, September 29, 2022. In this second session, PPAD presented members of the Indonesian House of Representatives who are also members of the TNI-Polri background. They are Lt. Gen. Retired TNI Evert Ernest (EE) Mangindaan, SIP from the Democratic Party, Komjen Pol Retired Drs Adang Daradjatun (PKS Party), and Major General TNI Retired Asril Hamzah Tanjung SIP (Gerindra).

Furthermore, Wednesday, October 19, 2022. The panelists are members of the Indonesian House of Representatives who are also Deputy Chairpersons of the PKB DPP, Muhammad Hanif Dharmakiri, S.Ag, M.Si, Minister of Manpower 2014 2019, Dra Ermalena, Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives who is also Deputy Chairperson of the PPP DPP and Dian Istiqomah, S.Kep, member of Commission II DPR RI from the PAN faction.

In closing, on October 25, 2022, the PPAD briefing committee featured General TNI Retired Prof. Dr. Abdullah Mahmud Hendropriyono, ST, SH, MH who emphasized the importance of involvement of retired journalists in the political arena, especially filling legislative seats in the DPR RI, DPRD levels 1 and 2.