Ray Rangkuti Warns of a Coup Spreading and the Strengthening of Militarism in Indonesia

JAKARTA - The Executive Director of the Indonesian Madani Circle (LIMA), Ray Rangkuti, assessed that Indonesia was unlikely to experience a military coup in the classic form as had happened in Myanmar, Niger, Gabon, and Turkey. However, he warned of a threat that he called a "gradual coup", namely the gradual domination of state institutions without using armed force.

Ray made this statement in a public discussion entitled "Military, Business, and Politics: Lessons from Military Coups in Various Countries" held in Central Jakarta, Wednesday, July 8.

According to Ray, the pattern of coups in the modern era is no longer synonymous with the takeover of power through weapons, but rather through the entry of certain actors into various state instruments until they control strategic government spaces.

"A coup in the modern era is called a coup. It is different from the understanding of a coup that we have known so far. The meaning of this coup model is to enter state instruments and then control them, without using weapons at all. They shouldn't be there," said Ray.

He also distinguishes between militarization and militarism. According to him, militarization is only limited to the placement of military personnel in civilian spaces, while militarism is a view that places military values as the main standard in various aspects of life.

"Militarization is limited to the placement of the military in civilian spaces that have no legal or policy basis. Meanwhile, militarism is a doctrine that considers the military the most powerful. Indonesia has entered the phase of militarism," he said.

Ray assessed that the symptoms were visible when various civil issues began to be measured using a military approach. He gave an example of the assumption that discipline, character, ethics, and patriotism can only be formed through military-style training.

"If all things must be measured by the military's point of view and standards, that is what is called 'ism' or understanding," he said.

For example, Ray alluded to a military-style training plan for the Red and White Village Cooperative Manager. According to him, the problem is not just the implementation of the exercise, but the emergence of the belief that discipline and character can only be built through military methods.

"It seems that discipline, character, national defense, ability to deal with problems, everything must be measured by military values. That is what we call militarism, not just militarization," he said.

Meanwhile, Professor of State Law at the University of Muhammadiyah Jakarta, Ibnu Sina Chandranegara, highlighted that there were still a number of structural problems after the reform that were considered unresolved.

He said that the mandate of Article 76 of Law Number 34 of 2004 concerning the TNI regarding the transfer of all TNI businesses to the state within five years has not yet been fully realized in a transparent manner.

In addition, Ibnu assessed that the trend of placing active TNI personnel in civilian positions raised concerns about creeping securitization or the militarization of the civilian bureaucracy.

He also criticized the DPR's oversight function of the budget and defense doctrine which was considered to be procedural, not substantive.

According to him, the military, which has an independent economic base, has the potential to have disproportionate political bargaining power in a democratic system.

The discussion featured a number of speakers, including Professor of Political Science at the National University Firdaus Syam, Associate Professor of Business Law and Military Analyst at Bina Nusantara University M. Reza Zaki, Head of the Indonesia 2045 Laboratory Jaleswari Pramodhawardani, Director of LIMA Indonesia Ray Rangkuti, Professor of State Law at the University of Muhammadiyah Jakarta Ibnu Sina Chandranegara, and Researcher of Public Policy and Government Governance Gian Kasogi.

The activity was attended by students, researchers, youth organizations, representatives of civil society, and the general public.