DPR Don't Be Kendor To Continue To Drive The Improvement Of Welfare For TNI Soldiers

Photo via @Puspen_TNI

JAKARTA - The welfare of TNI soldiers still needs to be improved. The encouragement from the DPR is that the government continues to pay attention to the welfare of TNI soldiers who are still on duty, never slack off.

One of the encouragements came from the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani. Puan's insistence on improving the welfare of TNI soldiers is considered to be a breath of fresh air for the guards of state sovereignty.

"As chairman of the DPR, Puan should remind the government to continue to pay attention to improving the welfare of soldiers in the midst of efforts to fulfill the third phase of the MEF (Minimun Essential Force)," said Military Observer Anton Aliabbas, Friday, October 7.

In commemoration of the 76th Anniversary of the TNI, Puan hopes that the government will continue to strive to improve the welfare of soldiers. Puan mentioned that many soldiers do not yet have a proper place to live where based on data from the Ministry of Defense, there are still more than 200 thousand TNI soldiers who have not received official housing facilities.

Puan is obliged to remind the importance of fulfilling the welfare of TNI soldiers who are one of the supporting factors in realizing the ideal defense posture.

It must be admitted, often welfare improvement is always associated with the financial side. In fact, the welfare of soldiers is not only related to house ownership but also to easy access to education for children of soldiers who often move to follow duties and others," said the teacher at Paramadina University.

For this reason, Anton hopes that many of Commission I will become partners with the TNI in the DPR to be able to respond to Puan's statement. Because the DPR can encourage the improvement of the welfare of TNI soldiers through the budget function.

"I think that Commission I will be able to help find a solution to how to improve the welfare of soldiers in the midst of a pandemic like this," said Anton.

The doctoral winner in defense from Cranfield University, England, assessed that it is appropriate for the DPR to pay attention to the welfare of soldiers, especially in terms of meeting basic needs. Moreover, according to Anton, the performance allowance (tukin) obtained by TNI soldiers is not as big as that obtained by employees in other ministries/agencies (K/L).

"So far, performance allowances for soldiers and civil servants within the TNI are still in the range of 70 percent," said the Head of the Center for Intermestic and Diplomatic Engagement (CIDE).

"Hopefully, in order not to experience jealousy and the assumption that there is discrimination between K/L, wartain soldiers can be considered to be equivalent to what ASN gets within the Ministry of Finance," continued Anton.

Anton also agreed with Puan's desire regarding the solidity of the TNI by asking all soldiers to maintain cohesiveness. Especially maintaining neutrality in politics.

He hopes for the role of the DPR in supervising the management of Indonesia's defense sector in the midst of a political year.

"Because after all, military politicization occurs not only caused by internal but also external parties such as political parties that are genitals attracting the TNI to be involved in practical politics," said Anton.

Previously, the Chairperson of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, highlighted the high public satisfaction with the performance of the TNI which had not been accompanied by the fulfillment of welfare for soldiers.

The DPR hopes that the Government will increase efforts to meet the welfare of soldiers. Either from performance allowances (tukin) or a decent place of life for soldiers," said Puan.

Data from the Ministry of Defense states that until now the TNI still lacks 237,735 official housing units or 51.7 percent of the needs of 459,514 official housing units. Meanwhile, based on Article 50 Paragraph 2 of Law Number 34 of 2004 concerning the TNI, soldiers are entitled to basic needs, including housing.

It is not ideal that the fulfillment of official houses is sufficient to burden enlisted soldiers and non-commissioned officers who generally earn between Rp. 3.5 to Rp. 6 million per month. Therefore, Puan encourages the Government to immediately meet the basic needs of these soldiers.

Don't let the best servants of our country find it difficult to meet their needs and their families. TNI soldiers are willing to sacrifice their lives for the bloodshed of Indonesia. The task of the state is to meet their needs," he said.