Chairman Of The House Of Representatives Suggests State Palace At IKN Flanked By TNI-Police Headquarters

Chairman of the DPR RI, Puan Maharani, gave a briefing at the TNI-Polri Leadership Meeting (Rapim) in Jakarta, Tuesday. ANTARA/Personal Documentation

JAKARTA - The chairman of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, proposed that the State Palace in the National Capital (IKN) Nusantara be flanked by the TNI (Indonesian National Army) and National Police Headquarters.

Puan shared her experience of reviewing the location of IKN Nusantara on February 16 as a form of legislative escort, after the IKN Bill was officially enacted into law.

"When I received an explanation of the location of the State Palace, government buildings, and so on, what I asked was the location or whereabouts of the TNI Headquarters and National Police Headquarters", said Puan in her statement in Jakarta, Tuesday, while providing briefings to the main command. The TNI-National Police, including the military commanders and the head of the regional police at the TNI-National Police Leadership Meeting in Jakarta, reported by Antara on Tuesday, March 1.

According to her, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) who was present at the IKN Nusantara inspection explained that the TNI Headquarters was on the front side of the Palace. However, the National Police Headquarters is located at the bottom of the Palace and TNI Headquarters.

Puan assessed that the locations of the TNI Headquarters and National Police Headquarters should be parallel, and the locations of the two headquarters of the two-state defense and security institutions should be close to the Palace.

"My opinion should be close, and the position of TNI Headquarters and Police Headquarters flanking the State Palace, so that when coordinating and if necessary BKO (Under Operation Control) becomes easy", she said.

She said the position of the TNI Headquarters and Police Headquarters being close together would optimize the synergy between the two agencies because if the locations were far enough apart, TNI-National Police coordination would be easily hampered.

According to her, if the locations of TNI Headquarters and Police Headquarters were far from the State Palace, it would be the same as now in Jakarta.

"Currently the TNI Headquarters is located in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, and the National Police Headquarters in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, are very far from the Palace, which is located in Central Jakarta. This means that if the President calls the TNI Commander and the National Police Chief, they must come in 10 minutes, if possible, just walk", she said.

Puan also highlighted the need for a TNI airbase near the center of the IKN Central Government Core Area (KIPP), because based on the plan, the airport for the IKN area will utilize the airport in Balikpapan.

According to her, the TNI Commander General Andika Perkasa, who accompanied her while reviewing the IKN some time ago, agreed with her proposal, because if there was an airbase in the IKN KIPP area, it would be easier for the TNI Commander to deploy troops.

"Later, there will be an airport near the palace for VIPs. In my opinion, it is better for the VIP airport to be built at the same time, so that there is air defense at IKN", she said again.

For this reason, Puan requested that the TNI and National Police coordinate more deeply regarding the location of the headquarters at IKN because the positions of the two institutions are strategic so they need to get priority.

Previously, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) was present at the opening of the TNI-National Police Rapim which was held at TNI Headquarters, Cilangkap, Jakarta, accompanied by Defense Minister, Prabowo Subianto, and Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD.

The chairman of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, was one of the figures who provided a briefing in the TNI-National Police Leadership Meeting. The briefing at the TNI Leadership Meeting was also filled with People's Consultative Assembly Chairman, Bambang Soesatyo, Constitutional Court (MK), Chairman Anwar Usman, and Supreme Court Chief Justice (MA), Muhammad Syariffudin.