TNI Soldiers Proposed To Be Able To Do Business, DPR: There Must Be A Rule That Explains

Member of Commission I DPR from the Golkar faction, Dave Laksono (center). (ANTARA-Through Susthira K)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission I of the DPR from the Golkar faction, Dave Laksono responded to the discourse of removing the prohibition of the TNI from doing business activities in the TNI Law. According to him, there needs to be clear rules to lift the ban. According to Dave, the TNI has an important role and responsibility even being one of the main backs to maintain state stability. "One of the government's tasks is to ensure that the welfare and basic needs of each soldier are met, both the daily needs of clothing, food, boards," said Dave to reporters, Wednesday, July 17. The Golkar politician explained that during the New Order era when the economy was unstable, a number of business companies managed by the TNI foundation were allowed to support the needs of soldiers. But over time, with the elimination of the privatization of TNI companies, many families of soldiers do business. "If the TNI is lifted from the prohibition of doing business, then there must be rules that explain it, the rule is made because there is a reason, whether it is revoked, because there is no problem first resolved or actually opening the story is the same as a different era," said Dave. Therefore, Dave assessed, there must be clear rules that the Ministry of Defense and TNI Headquarters can allow soldiers to do business. "Don't let the professionality of the TNI be disturbed and they initially tasked to maintain security instead turn around to take care of their respective businesses," said Dave.

Previously, the proposal for this deletion emerged in a Public Hearing event on the Bill on Amendments to the TNI Law held by the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs on Thursday, July 11.

During the event, the Head of the Legal Development Agency (Kababinkum) TNI Rear Admiral (Laksda), Kresno Buntoro explained, TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto had written to the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Hadi Tjahjanto to discuss several other articles in the revision of the TNI Law. One of them is Article 39 letter c.

Kresno gave an example of his wife who owns a shop business at home. He said, it made him inevitably involved in the activity.

"If this is implemented then I will be punished. Soldiers are prohibited from being involved in business. My wife, I definitely don't want to be involved. Wong, I'm holding shopping and so on. So what does this exist? Now, if I'm examined, I can get hit. Therefore, we suggest this is thrown away," said Kresno.

Kresno then assessed that what should be prohibited from being involved in business activities is the TNI institution, not TNI soldiers.

"But if a soldier wants to open a grocery shop or not. There is my driver after accompanying me. Coincidentally, I got a driver right now. He finished Maghrib, that's sometimes, or on Saturday-Sunday he's driving. He's doing business. Can't be like that?" he said.