M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – The Jakarta Military Commander's recent remark that the House of Representatives has been infiltrated by sympathizers of the outlawed Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) was not politically motivated, Army Chief Gen. Djoko Santoso says.
Djoko told the House Commission I on foreign affairs and defense Tuesday that as servants of the state, senior Army officers were forbidden from commenting on political matters.
"The Indonesian Military already has a procedure that bars its members from making such statements, especially those regarding politics," Djoko told members of the commission.
During a TNI seminar last week, Lt. Gen. Agustadi Sasongko alleged more than 100 of House members were connected to the PKI. The TNI leadership quickly responded to Agustadi's statement, saying he was not speaking for the military.
Commission I chairman Theo L. Sambuaga, of the Golkar Party, said the latest statement from Djoko should bring an end to the controversy.
"I have meet with (Agustadi) and he said he was not accusing House members of being PKI members. He said he was only making a 'scientific proposition' that the communist movement is still alive," Theo said.
Theo said political analyst Alfian Tanjung of Hamka University first made a link between current House members and communism. Alfian also heads Pancasila Youth, a nationalist movement closely linked to the New Order regime and known for its anti-communist stance.
Commission I deputy chairman Amris Hassan of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said legislators should not overreact to the statement. "The (TNI-)communism issue is not substantial. What is more important is how political parties were infiltrated," he said.
However, not all House members agreed. Lawmaker Effendi Choirie of the National Awakening Party (PKB) said Agustadi should be censored for the comment because the military had no place in politics in the reform era. "The TNI Law clearly describes the military as a mere instrument of the state," Effendi said.
Agustadi is not the only senior official concerned with communist infiltration. State Intelligence Agency chief Syamsir Siregar recently said his agents had uncovered mounting evidence of increased communist activities in the country.