Dismissed By Prabowo, Defense Minister Submits 3 Points Of Revision Of TNI Law To DPR

Minister of Defense (Menhan) Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin. (Nailin-VOI)

JAKARTA - Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin conveyed three points of change in the revision of Law Number 35 of 2004 concerning the Indonesian National Army (TNI) to Commission I of the DPR. Namely related to the position, extension of positions and active TNI assignments in government.

"I just got the task of representing the government to convey the views of the DPR's initiative to make a draft revision of Law number 34 of 2004 concerning the TNI," said Sjafrie after a working meeting at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Tuesday, March 11.

The Minister of Defense thanked Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives for its good intentions towards the TNI as a state defense institution to always be more professional and modern in measurable ways.

"In increasing that ability, I on behalf of the government also convey that there are three implied meanings in the bill. Namely regarding the issue of the position of the TNI which is actually not a new problem but has already been stated in Article 3 of the TNI Law regarding the position of the TNI," said Sjafrie.

Second, he continued, is a plan to extend the active service period from TNI soldiers from enlisted to high-ranking officers.

"The third is the assignment of TNI soldiers outside or what I call in ministries and institutions," said the Minister of Defense.

As is known, continued the Minister of Defense, in the Law there are 15 institutions that can be occupied by active TNI soldiers. As stated in Law number 34 which is currently in effect. Apart from that, active soldiers must resign.

"As for this revision, the President of the Republic of Indonesia as the supreme commander has also given instructions to the Minister of Defense for TNI soldiers who will be assigned to the ministry and institution must retire, which we call early retirement," said the Minister of Defense.

"After retiring, we propose to the ministries and institutions in question, of course, in accordance with capability and efficiency, in other words, it must be measured and most importantly he is loyal to the state and nation as well as an active TNI soldier, yes, holding fast to the clan and the oath of soldiers," he continued.

The Minister of Defense said that the revision of the TNI Law would be discussed in the DPR Commission I committee with the Ministry of Law, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of State Affairs, and the Ministry of Defense.

"With the hope that this can be completed in the month of Ramadan and we also hope that this will be completed before the recess of the members of the DPR," said the Minister of Defense.

"I did not give a long explanation because we have not yet reached the subtance subtance that needs to be explained," he concluded.