Jakarta – The National Defence Forces (TNI) will make a "comprehensive and meticulous" assessment of President Abdurrrahman Wahid's proposal to revoke a 1966 Provisional People's Consultative Assembly (MPRS) resolution banning the dissemination of communism, Leninism and Marxism, TNI Commander Admiral Widodo said here Monday.
"We will make a comprehensive and meticulous study of the president's proposal so that we can provide relevant inputs to the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)," Widodo told the press.
In 1966, the name of the People's Consultative Assembly was preceded by the word "Provisional" because it was mainly an appointed rather than an elected body. In a general session not long after the abortive communist coup of September 30, 1965, the MPRS produced its Resolution No XXV/1966 banning the dissemination of communism, Leninism and Marxism in Indonesia.
Widodo made the statement in reply to newsmen's questions whether the TNI supported the president's proposal.
On a separate occasion, TNI spokesman Air Vice Marshal Graito Usodo said the president's propsoal was "nothing extraordinary" but the TNI was trying to make an internal evaluation of it. "We are trying to look at the results of past studies and we will report what we have found, the history and how things will likely develop, including the impact of the revocation of the MPRS resolution," he said.
He said the TNI was currently collecting materials that could be given to the MPR as inputs, including files in the possession of the TNI, the Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS) as well as historical records. But Graito could not say how long it would take the TNI to complete its evaluation.
Meanwhile, on a separate occasion, Army Chief of Staff General Tyasno Sudarto said since the MPRS resolution was made by a body representing the people, a decision on its fate could only be made by a similar institute. "If the people now still do not want to revoke it, then they can express it through their representatives in the MPR and House of Representatives (DPR)," he said.
According to Tyasno, the revocation of the MPRS resolution would have a long-range impact, "So, it must be decided with wisdom and great care." Asked specifically whether TNI in general, the Army in particular, had no objections at all to the revocation of the MPRS resolution, Tyasno said "there is no problem if the people so desire."
"However, we must bear in mind that we should not deceive ourselves, raising the issue of democratization just for the benefit of a certain group. This is not right because it will betray the essence of democracy itself," Tyasno said.