AHY's Way Of Life: Resigning From The TNI To Enter The Indonesian Political World

Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) and his father, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY). (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) is known to actively voice so that TNI soldiers do not participate in politics. Their neutrality must be maintained. However, that doesn't mean you can't. The active military must resign first and then enter politics.

This portrait was shown when his son, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) tried to enter the political arena through the 2017 DKI Jakarta gubernatorial election. AHY, as voiced by SBY, chose to resign as an active TNI soldier, then participated in a political contestation.

SBY's work as president of Indonesia has been admired by many parties. He is not a perfect figure. However, for some reasons SBY's attitude has received praise from many parties. This attitude was seen when SBY chose to be neutral in the 2014 presidential election.

He did not side with Prabowo Subianto's camp. He did not close to Joko Widodo's (Jokowi) camp. Netrality can also be seen through SBY's decision not to be active in the campaign activities of the Democratic Party.

This condition has indeed made the Democratic Party have the potential to lose a lot of votes. However, once the screen is developed, it never recedes back. That is the path chosen by SBY. He likes to set an example to the next Indonesian leader how a leader should behave.

Praise for SBY is not only present through his neutral decision. He was praised for being the most active person to remind the TNI to be neutral in the political contestation in the 2014 presidential election. He considered that active TNI soldiers could not enter politics.

SBY believes this is one of the orders of ABRI reform. SBY reasoned. He tried to maintain the authority of an active TNI soldier. The narrative was echoed because if the TNI was not neutral the state's condition would be disrupted and chaotic. As a result, the democracy that was echoed in the eyes of the world was tarnished.

"The prediction in 2013 and 2014 is that the year politics invites comments from various circles. Not stopping the President, SBY and Vice President, Boediono reminded the importance of paying attention to this political year. The President, SBY, said that all state servants, including government officials in the election, must be truly neutral and educate, especially the TNI and Polri. ."

"Netral, disproportionate, and do not do anything that comes out of the rules of law and ethics. For members of the Cabinet as well as governors, regents and mayors who come from political parties, when they have to carry out political missions in the series of elections in 2014," explained Achmad Fachrudin in the book Jalan Terjal Towards the 2014 Election (2013).

It could be that SBY is no longer in power. However, his message so that active TNI soldiers do not enter the world of politics continues to echo. SBY's attitude is not only shown in mere words. SBY actually proved his talk through his son AHY's way of life.

At that time AHY was considered outstanding in the military world. AHY alone is listed as the best graduate of AKMIL and has the right to hold the award of Adhi Makayasa in 2000. The last AHY rank was major.

However, AHY tried to leave all the time he was championed as a black horse in the 2017 DKI Jakarta gubernatorial election. AHY, as SBY voiced, chose to resign as an active TNI soldier on September 24, 2016.

AHY admitted that the decision was not easy. Tears of emotion graced his decision. He has been active in dozens of serving as a soldier. However, he feels that service to the country can continue to be done. Even though his steps this time are not in the military, but through the world of politics.

AHY's resignation from the TNI was greeted with a commotion. The option he took was praised by many parties. After that, AHY only officially chose to advance into politics. He is fully supported by the Cikeas Coalition -- the Democratic Party, the National Awakening Party (PKB), the United Development Party, and the National Mandate Party (PAN).

AHY was also paired with Sylviana Murni who in fact was the Deputy Governor for Tourism and Culture of DKI Jakarta. Both of them brought jargon: Jakarta for the People. However, the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election was not easily conquered.

Agus-Sylvi did lose. AHY acknowledged the defeat. He then chose another way of serving in politics by bringing the Democratic Party active in increasing the lives of the Indonesian people. In fact, until now.

"Frankly, it is with a heavy heart, because for more than 15 years I have served in the world of soldiers, in the ranks of the TNI that I love and I am proud of. But I say that I am ready to do other services, namely in the world of politics and government. I am actually from the TNI and I also learn and have the principle that serving the community, the state and the nation do not recognize the deadline and area of assignment. "

"Syivana Murni's mother and I are determined and trying our best to make DKI Jakarta more advanced, safer, more orderly, the economy is growing, the people are more prosperous, the social gap is not getting worse, law and justice are getting more and more upright, we can continue to fight crime, our environment is being maintained, the government is being managed more and more orderly," AHY said in his speech at the DPP Democratic Party as quoted by the ANTARA website, September 24, 2016.