TNI Revises Rules Regarding Soldiers' Families Who Receive Legal Aid

Kapuspen TNI Rear Admiral TNI Julius Widjojono (central) together with Danpuspom TNI Young Marshal TNI Agung Handoko (left), Kababinkum) TNI Rear Admiral TNI Kresno Buntoro (right)/ANTARA PHOTO/ASPRILLA DWI ADHA

Head of the Legal Development Agency (Kababinkum) TNI Rear Admiral TNI Kresno Buntoro conveyed that the TNI was in the process of revising the provisions regarding family members of soldiers and TNI civil servants who could receive legal assistance from the Indonesian National Army.

He explained that the revision was part of the TNI Babinkum legislation program in 2023 and currently the team that takes care of it is still working.

"This legal aid provision is included in the TNI's legislative program for Fiscal Year 2023, and our team is already running, and usually the TNI legislative program has 1 year. So in 2022 we have set it and it is included in DIPA (budget implementation list), and we will start working on it in January 2023," said Laksda Kresno as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, August 10.

The team that compiled the revised draft consisted not only of the Babinkum TNI, but also representatives from three TNI dimensions, namely the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

"This revision is expected to be completed within three months," he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of the TNI Information Center (Kapuspen) Rear Admiral TNI Julius Widjojono said that the TNI Commander Admiral Yudo Margono also directly ordered his staff to limit the coverage of family members who could receive legal assistance from the TNI in the revised draft.

"Yesterday, the TNI Commander had closed in with us so that it would be revised so that it would not spread too much," said the TNI Kapuspen at the same press conference.

The discussion of the family members of the TNI soldiers was in the spotlight after a middle-ranking TNI officer, a member of Kodam I/Bukit Barisan, Major Dedi Hasibuan, came to the Medan Polrestabes Headquarters to inquire about the suspension of the detention of his nephew, Ahmad Rosyid Hasibuan (ARH), a suspect in the case of forgery of land certificate signatures.

Mayor Dedi's arrival drew public attention because he brought 13 TNI soldiers dressed in green stripes to the Medan Polrestabes Headquarters.

Major Dedi is currently still being questioned by the Army Military Police Center (Puspomad). He was also questioned by the TNI Puspom on Wednesday (9/8) for eight hours.

"Later on, decisions related to sanctions and the types of violations committed by Major Dedi will be decided by Puspomad based on the results of the examination and development of cases," said the TNI Military Police Central Commander (Danpuspom), Young Marshal TNI Agung Handoko.

Provisions regarding legal assistance for TNI families are currently regulated in the Guidelines for the Implementation of Legal Aid within the TNI which was ratified by the Decree of the TNI Commander Number KEP/1089/XII/2017.

In the implementing regulations, there are provisions related to application procedures and the provision of legal assistance, then also regulate the scope of family members of soldiers who can ask for legal assistance from the TNI.

In Chapter II concerning General Provisions, Number 11 Recipients of Legal Aid, those who have the right to receive legal assistance from the TNI, namely units within the TNI, soldiers and civil servants of the TNI, families of soldiers and civil servants consisting of wives/husbands of TNI soldiers and TNI civil servants, children, widows/dudas, parents-in-laws, and siblings/pars as well as nephews of soldiers and TNI civil servants.

Then, the wife organization of TNI soldiers, retired TNI soldiers, retired TNI civil servants, warakawuri, widows/duda retired PNS TNI, and veterans in the TNI environment, people who are paired with TNI soldiers, student soldiers, cooperatives and foundations within the TNI, business entities established by cooperatives and foundations within the TNI, cooperative partners and foundation partners within the TNI, and those who have a working relationship in order to support the main tasks of the TNI.