MILITARY, POLICE PLEDGE TO REMAIN NEUTRAL DURING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION by Fardah

     Jakarta, June 10, 2014 (Antara) - Since the beginning, the Indonesian military and police chiefs have expressed their commitment to remain neutral in the legislative and presidential elections of this year, and so far they have kept their promise.

         Indonesia had organized legislative elections throughout the country on April 9, 2014, peacefully and freely, without experiencing any serious security disturbance partly due to the security measures taken by the military and police forces.

         On July 9, 2014, Indonesian people will again go to polling stations to cast their votes in the presidential election, which will be the third democratic election that the country will conduct since the political reforms starting in 1998.

         Two days before the campaign period that began on June 4 and will last until July 5, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono reiterated his instruction that the Indonesian Military and the police force remain neutral and stay away from unwavering offers that draw institutions into practical politics during the presidential election.

         "The neutrality of the Indonesian Military and the police force must be maintained, don't step back, don't break it, and don't betray the uneasy process of the military's and police's reform," President Yudhoyono said while addressing high-level officers of the Indonesian Army on June 2.

         According to Yudhoyono, there is confirmed information about some parties trying to influence high-level military and police officers to get involved in practical politics.

         "The information is confirmed, and of course, it is not just invaluable confirmation that some parties are trying to draw high-level officers to support a specific presidential candidate. They even said that members of the military and the police force do not need to listen to their president as he is a leader of a sinking ship, and it is better to find a brighter new president," Yudhoyono stressed.

         Yudhoyono deplored such offers that were not just trying to persuade related individuals to violate the soldiers' vow, but also possibly threatened the stability of the state, the nation, and the reformation process.

         "Be careful, don't be tempted," he added, praising the military and the police force for their commitment to remain neutral in the 2009 and the 2014 general elections.

         The upcoming presidential election will be contested by only two pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates: Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa and Joko Widodo (Jokowi)-Jusuf Kalla (JK).

         Prabowo Subianto is a retired military Lieut. General and the chairman of Gerindra (Great Indonesia Movement) Party, while his running mate, Hatta Rajasa, is a former coordinating minister for economic affairs and the chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN).

         Jokowi is the governor of Jakarta and a cadre of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), and his running mate, Jusuf Kalla (JK), is a former vice president and a senior politician of the Golkar Party.

         The Jokowi-JK pair is supported by five political parties: PDIP, the Nation Awakening Party (PKB), the People's Conscience Party (Hanura), the Justice and Indonesian Unity Party (PKPI), and the National Democratic Party (Nasdem) established by Surya Paloh, who owns Metro TV and the Media Indonesia newspaper.

         The Prabowo-Hatta duo is supported by Gerindra, PAN, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the United Development Party (PPP), the Moon and Star Party (PBB), and the Golkar Party, whose current chairman is Aburizal Bakrie, the owner of TV One.

         Defence Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro recently explained that President Yudhoyono's statement was not only directed to TNI but also to those in the government, including the civil servants.

         "Prior to the start of presidential election campaign rallies, President Yudhoyono wants to remind us not to draw TNI (into politics). He has also told all ministers at the cabinet meeting," Purnomo said.

         Commander of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) General Moeldoko has frequently reiterated the military's neutral stance in the elections, despite the fact that one of the presidential candidates was from the Indonesian army.

         "The TNI's neutrality is not a subject to be merely discussed, but also to be implemented," he told newsmen after witnessing the TNI Joint Military Exercise 2014 in Asembagus in the East Java town of Situbondo recently.

         General Moeldoko and National Police Chief General Sutarman between June 9 and June 10, 2014, visited Maluku to check the preparations for the upcoming presidential election. The two generals held a meeting with military and police personnel at the Waehaong Islamic Center, to give directives and guidance to the TNI and police officers concerning security measures before the upcoming presidential election.

         "I and the National Police chief are going everywhere to remind all military officers to maintain neutrality in the presidential election. I must be confident of what the officers are doing in the field, with the objective of emphasizing the TNI neutrality," General Moeldoko said before thousands of officers in Ambon, Maluku, on June 10.

         He also called on the public to always trust TNI officers. "Please trust us because we will be neutral. None of our officers will use any political party's resources," he emphasized before many military officers posted in Maluku.

         After briefing 390 army officers at the Army's headquarters in Central Jakarta, on June 2, 2013, the Indonesian Army chief, General Budiman, offered a guarantee of the military's neutrality prior to and during the presidential election.

         General Budiman said Indonesian Army personnel will remain neutral during the election monitoring process and stressed that some sanctions on any violation had been decided, including dismissal.

         "We give a guarantee for the future, we also have honor and responsibility that we will remain neutral for the sake of fairness and truthfulness to the Indonesian people," Budiman added.

         The army's chief added that if a member of the army was proven guilty of violating the rule related to neutrality, moreover if the member was sued with the criminal law, then he will be fired.

         "Thus far, we have remained neutral, which is what you have seen and felt all this time," he said. ***1***
(F001/INE/B003)