4 weeks ago
33
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander General Agus Subiyanto once again reassigned 300 high-ranking officers within the TNI on December 6, 2024. Two months prior, TNI Commander also issued a decree concerning the reassignment of 64 high-ranking TNI officers.
Head of the TNI Information Center Major General Hariyanto stated that the policy of reassigning or promoting high-ranking officers is an internal authority of the agency. He assured that the policy is made through various aspects of consideration.
"Such as organizational needs, duty experience, achievements, and officer professionalism," he said when contacted on Wednesday, December 11, 2024.
In the Commander's Decree (SKep) TNI Number Kep/1545/XII/2024, which was confirmed by the Information Center of TNI, some high-ranking officers occupied strategic positions, including Commander of the Joint Regional Defense Command (Pangkogabwilhan) I, Pangkostrad, State Intelligence Agency (BIN), Cyber and State Code Agency, Defense University, to the Presidential Security Forces Command (Danpaspampres).
Some of the high-ranking officers reassigned include Major General Achiruddin who was reinstated as Danpaspampres after serving as Pangdam VI/Mulawarman in the October 2024 transfer. Lieutenant General Nugroho Sulistyo Budi serves as Head of the Cyber and State Code Agency. He previously became the Chief Inspector of BIN, a position he just held in October 2024.
The reassignment of these 300 high-ranking TNI officers received reactions from various circles, some agree while others regret the reassignment being too swift.
Member of Commission I DPR RI T.B. Hasanuddin: Providing Good Experience to All Officers
Member of Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) Major General TNI (Ret.) Tubagus Hasanuddin responded to the policy of reassignment of 300 high-ranking TNI officers by Commander General Agus Subiyanto. He assesses this reassignment as a means of refreshing and regenerating leadership within the TNI environment. Therefore, he stated that the initial reassignment during Prabowo Subianto's administration is a common occurrence within TNI.
He is convinced that the reassignment and rotation of high-ranking TNI officers is based on necessity. Therefore, he said, this massive reassignment can instead provide opportunities and experiences for high-ranking TNI officers to obtain positions or roles.
"A high-ranking officer should have been a lecturer, served in territorial units, or combat units, providing good experience to all officers from colonel to general," said Hasanuddin when contacted on Tuesday, December 10, 2024.
He also disagrees if the reassignment is related to the shift of individuals close to the previous government regime. Because ideally, TNI officers should only be loyal to the country, not to specific figures.
His statement responds to the reappointment of Major General Achiruddin as Danpaspampres. Achiruddin previously served as Danpaspampres during the second term of the 7th President Joko Widodo. At the end of Jokowi's term, the TNI Commander reassigned Achiruddin to Pangdam VI/Mulawarman.
Hasanuddin believes that consecutive reassignment policies will not affect strategic policies within the TNI environment. Because, he said, there is a joint staff tasked with maintaining the continuity of the leaders' policies in each TNI branch.
"The important thing is that the joint staff remains constant. Even if the commander is changed back and forth, there's no problem," said the legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle.
Member of Commission I DPR Amelia Anggraini: Adjustment to Several Strategic Programs
Member of Commission I DPR Amelia Anggraini stated that the reassignment and rotation of 300 high-ranking TNI officers can strengthen the country's defense foundation. Amelia perceives the reassignment as a strategic step for TNI in building the country's defense foundation. "We see this as a normal event," Amelia said in a written statement on Wednesday, December 11, 2024.
The Nasdem Party politician said that the reassignment and rotation of high-ranking TNI officers is also a form of adjustment to several strategic government programs in the defense sector. TNI also needs adaptive measures to respond to the global situation, especially conditions and security challenges.
"Besides facing global dynamics, regional issues like the South China Sea, land and sea borders, and other potential security challenges are challenges TNI will encounter in the future," she said.
On the other hand, the assignment of TNI officers outside the institution is an effort to strengthen ministries or agencies. The orientation, said Amelia, is on professionalism, integrity, and accountability.
"As long as the law allows and the presence of TNI personnel is needed by ministries or agencies, it is not a problem. Provided that we continue to uphold professionalism, integrity, and accountability values," she said.
Imparsial Director Ardi Manto: Reassignment Should be Based on Necessity and Personnel Qualifications
Imparsial Director Ardi Manto criticized the policy of reassignment of 300 high-ranking military officers by TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto. Ardi disagrees with the too-rapid reassignment policy.
He said that the rotation or promotion process should be done with the right system, namely the justice system or merit system. "(So) truly based on necessity and personnel qualifications," he said on Tuesday, December 10, 2024.
He stated that jump-around positions are contrary to the condition of still having many active officers who do not get positions or nonjob amid the phenomenon of surplus active officers. "So there is a push to place these active officers outside the TNI institution," he said.
According to him, the reassignment policy still remains one of the problems within TNI internally. Therefore, he considers that TNI needs to rearrange or reorganize internally regarding reassignment and promotion positions.
Novali Panji Nugroho and Annisa Febiola contributed to the writing of this article.
Editor's choice: Andika-Hendi Contest the Central Java Gubernatorial Election Results, PDIP Cites Alleged Involvement of Apparatus
