Civil Defense, Not Military Conscription: Defense Ministry
13 October 2015 16:24 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta-First Adm. M. Faisal, director of civil defense at the Defense Ministry, said Tuesday, October 13, that civil defense is not military conscription.
“Military conscription no longer exists in Indonesia. What does exist is civil defense without compulsion and is voluntary for those who wish to participate,” said Faisal.
According to Faisal, civil defense is a part of national character building that also promotes the government’s program in mental revolution. “Don’t forget that this is mental revolution of Indonesia’s national character,” he said.
Faisal said the legal basis for civil defense is arctile 27 of the 1945 constitution that says every citizen has the right and obligation to defend the country. “This applies for every citizen and must not be conceived as war, but must also be viewed from poverty and destruction of culture,” he said.
This program is the initiative of the Defense Ministry which, according to Faisal, prioritizes love for the country. “This is a concept of civil defense awareness because not everyone knows their obligation,” he said.
Faisal continued that character building has been conducted in 45 regencies. “This program is not to turn people into military. This has nothing to do with military,” he said. “Sometimes people think that civil defense is about war. We’re not there yet,” said Faisal.
Civil defense program was initiated by the Defense Ministry and will be inaugurated by President Jokowi on October 19. The legal basis of this program is article 27 of the 1045 Constitution and Defense Law No. 3/2002.
ARKHELAUS WISNU
