TEMPO.CO, Bandung - President Joko Widodo or Jokowi asked the Indonesian Military`s (TNI) village supervisory non-commissioned officers (Babinsa) to improve territorial capability.

“Your territorial capability must be improved,” said Jokowi when giving direct instruction to thousands of Babinsa in Dirgantara Indonesia complex, Bandung, Tuesday, July 17.

According to Jokowi, the improvement includes quick meet, quick report, management skills, detailed territory control ability; one by one, home to home. “The ability of people's resistance, how to improve the people's ability in facing threats, how to develop people's ability in defending the country,” the president said.

TNI Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto said at the meeting, there were 4,505 Babinsa. The majority came from Babinsa under regional military commando or Kodam III/Siliwangi, which is 4,435 people. The remaining 70 people came from the representatives of 14 Kodam from all over Indonesia. “All Babinsa throughout the TNI today amounted to 60,239 people,” said Hadi.

Thousands of Babinsa members were deliberately gathered in Bandung to listen to President Jokowi's direct instruction. In the event, Jokowi was accompanied by the Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, TNI Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mulyono, and West Java acting Governor Comr. Gen. Mochamad Iriawan.

AHMAD FIKRI