TNI Commander Soal Siaga I: Not a War Threat but a Readiness Test

JAKARTA - The TNI Commander, General Agus Subiyanto, clarified the issue regarding the status of Alert I which had been associated with the global security situation.

He emphasized that the term in the context referred to only relates to the readiness test of the TNI unit, not because of the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.

The explanation was conveyed by the TNI Commander Agus Subiyanto at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Tuesday, March 10.

According to the TNI Commander, Alert I is a common term in the military environment. This time, the status was imposed on the units of the Rapid Disaster Response Force that exist in various regions.

"Each kodam has one battalion that is on alert if a natural disaster occurs in its area," said Agus.

He explained that this step was taken to test the readiness of personnel and materials. For the TNI, such checks are common.

Agus also denied the assumption that the status was related to the heating of the conflict in the Middle East. According to him, Alert I in this case is only part of the test of the unit's readiness.

He then explained the appearance of the TNI tactical vehicle in the Monas area which had been in the public spotlight. According to Agus, this was done to calculate the speed of the mobilization of troops from various regions to Jakarta.

"We count from those areas to Jakarta how many minutes. If something happens in Jakarta, the troops can be quickly deployed," he said.

Agus explained that the troops who were previously deployed for the readiness test were now beginning to be returned to their respective units. Some were also assigned to the police to face the Nyepi and Idulfitri security.

He ensured that there was no special deadline in the status. After the verification process was completed, the personnel and equipment were returned to the unit.