TNI Commander Affirms Soldiers In The National Nutrition Agency Are Not Active Members

TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto (ANTARA)

TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto emphasized that soldiers who served in the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) were not active members of the TNI, but had retired or retired.

"Gizi Agency? Yes, all retired. There is no active TNI," said Agus at the DPR building, parliament complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Thursday, March 20.

Agus explained that the involvement of the TNI actively in BGN is only limited to support in the Free Nutrition Food (MBG) program, especially in public kitchens located in the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG).

"The TNI only supports, especially in the provision of public kitchens, because this nutritious eating program must be massive, especially in remote areas such as Wanam, Merauke, Papua, which can only be reached by helicopters," he explained.

According to Agus, the presence of the TNI in public kitchens is only in the form of assistance and does not violate the newly revised TNI Law. This is because the assignment is based on a request from the relevant ministries or institutions.

"We have cooperation (MoU) with several ministries, so the assignment of the TNI there is at the request of the ministry concerned," he added.

For information, the DPR has just approved the revision of Law Number 34 of 2004 concerning the TNI (RUU TNI) in a plenary meeting on March 20, 2025. One of the revised points is the expansion of the placement of active TNI soldiers in ministries and institutions (K/L).

In the old TNI Law, active soldiers can only serve in 10 ministries or institutions, namely:

Coordinating Ministry For Political, Legal And Security Affairs Of The Ministry Of Defense Of The Presidential Military Secretariat Of The National Intelligence Agency (BIN) of the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN) Lemhanas National Defense Agency of the National SAR Agency of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN)Mahkamah Agung

However, the revision of the TNI Law increased the number to 15 ministries/agencies, with the following addition:

National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) National Border Management Agency (BNPP) Attorney General's Office

Meanwhile, the Presidential Secretariat is not counted as a new addition, because it is under the Ministry of State Secretariat, which was previously included in the TNI Law through the Setmilpres. TNI soldiers who serve in ministries and institutions outside the 15 institutions must resign or retire early.