Calls Lt. Col. Teddy Doesn't Have To Resign From The TNI, Army Chief Of Staff: Cabinet Secretary Under The Setmilpres

Army Chief of Staff General TNI Maruli Simanjuntak (DOK Naiilin/VOI)

JAKARTA - Army Chief of Staff General TNI Maruli Simanjuntak stated that Lt. Col. Teddy Indra Wijaya did not have to resign as a TNI soldier. This is because the position of cabinet secretary (Seskab) is under the president's military secretariat (Setmilpres).

For information, Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has proposed an expansion of up to 15 ministries/agencies that can be held active soldiers. 10 of them are in charge of Coordinators for Politics and National Security, State Defense, Presidential Military Secretary, State Intelligence, State Passwords, National Defense Institutions, National Defense Council, Search and Rescue (SAR) National, National Narcotics, and the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, 5 additions are at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, BNPB, BNPT, Maritime Security and the Attorney General's Office.

Maruli said that in the Presidential Decree it was stated that the position of Cabinet Secretary was under the Secretariat of Presidential Secretariat. So that it is not outside the 15 ministries/agencies in question.

"No, look at the statement from the presidential spokesman, there is a Presidential Decree. (Seskab) Yes (entered) Sesmillres," Maruli said at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Thursday, March 13.

General Maruli said that the Secretariat of the Presidential Secretariat had indeed been regulated in Law 34/2004 article 47 paragraph 2. "Indeed, it has always been led by a major general. The secretary of the police has not left the military and the police," he said.

According to Maruli, Lieutenant Colonel Teddy's position does not need to be debated. Because there is a Presidential Decree which states that the position of Cabinet Secretary is under the Setmilpres. Meanwhile, the Secretariat of the Presidential Secretariat is responsible to the Minister of State Secretariat.

"Based on the presidential spokesman, there is a statement that there is a Presidential Decree, a decree under the presidential decree. The Presidential Secretariat has always been led by 2 stars, no one has retired from the start, the rules are there. It should have been there if it was based on it, "said Maruli.

"(So) you don't (violate the TNI Law), you already have soldiers at the Sesmillres. The Sepmillres is a soldier," he concluded.