Palace Denies Perpres 37/2019 Resurrects TNI's Dual Function

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Presidential Staff Office Deputy V Jaleswari Pramodhawardani denied that the Presidential Decree (Perpres) No. 37 of 2019 concerning the functional position of the Indonesian Armed Force (TNI) was issued to revive the institution’s dual function as in the New Order era.

“There is no correlation,” she said in a written statement, Monday, July 1.

She explained the regulation was a derivative rule and a mandate from Law No. 34 of 2004 on TNI and the Government’s Decree No. 39 of 2010. “That’s what has been ratified by the president,” she added.

Jaleswari reiterated that the functional position of TNI in the Perpres must be comprehended as a position that showed duties, responsibilities, authorities, and the rights of TNI personnel that required knowledge, expertise, and or skills in certain sectors. 

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“This is a regulation on the internal of TNI, similar to the functional position in LIPI (the Indonesian Institute of Science) aside from the existing structural positions,” she said.

The Perpres, she went on, aimed at recognizing diverse expertise, skills, and knowledge of the force “that have not been obtained thus far.”

Jaleswari ensured the regulation could not return the past condition during the New Order era, and TNI would not grant its institutional reform that had been achieved with a high socio-political price.

“It’s impossible [to return to the New Order era or TNI’s dual function]. Especially in this situation when all civil institutions and people can do monitoring through existing advanced technology,” Jaleswari said.

AHMAD FAIZ IBNU SANI