Failed TNI Entry Selection, Joni the Flagpole Climber Summoned by Belu Military District Commander

Yohanes Ande Kalla or known as Joni Kalla when interviewed in front of his house in Silawan Village, Belu Regency. (ANTARA)

KUPANG - Yohanes Ande Kalla or better known as Joni the Red and White Boy from Silawan Village, Belu Regency was again summoned by the Commander of 1605/Belu Military District Command (Kodim), Lieutenant Colonel Arh Suhardi, to meet with the Belu Kodim at Headquarters, Tuesday, July 6 morning.

"I was called earlier to meet with the Dandim Belu, but I don't know why I'm meeting," said Joni as quoted by ANTARA Kupang, Tuesday, August 6 morning.

When contacted, he also admitted that he had also been contacted by the aide-de-camp (Ajenrem) 161/Wira Sakti Military Resort Command (Korem) to immediately return to Kupang City to meet the Ajenrem.

However, he also admitted that he did not know more about the reason for calling him to headquarter of Kupang 161/Wira Sakti Military Resort Command to meet the Ajenrem.

"Maybe after meeting with the Commander, I will know the reason for their summons," he said.

Joni is a teenager who, while still in elementary school in 2018, went viral because of his action of displaying the Red and White flagpole during the Indonesian Independence Day ceremony in Belu Regency to save the red and white flag whose rope was wrapped around during the flag ceremony.

After he went viral, he was then invited by President Joko Widodo to the State Palace and met with President Jokowi. When asked about his dreams by the number one person in Indonesia, Joni admitted that he wanted to become a soldier.

Jokowi immediately told Joni to meet the TNI Commander and was promised that he would be accepted into the TNI immediately.

However, after taking part in the 2024 TNI AD Bintara recruitment selection, after hearing about his high school graduation, he was declared to have failed the initial selection conducted by Ajenrem 16104/Wirasakti Kupang.

The reason is because his height is not ideal or in accordance with the requirements to enter the TNI so he was told to come back in 2025 to take the same test.

"Yes, I was disappointed yesterday when the initial selection was immediately declared a failure, because my height was not appropriate. My height in Ajen was measured at 155.8 meters while according to the requirements it is 163 meters. But I will prepare myself again for next year," he said.