Jakarta – A seminar on university student militaristic training clubs, held Wednesday, addressed the clubs' relevance in response to their fading popularity in the wake of political change in 1998. The seminar was attended by dozens of student regiment members wearing their army-like uniforms.

It featured speakers, such as the deputy minister of youth empowerment at the State Ministry for Youth and Sports Affairs, Sakhyan Asmara; Jakarta Deputy Governor Maj. Gen. (ret) Prijanto; former Jakarta Military commander Maj. Gen. (ret) Slamet Kirbiyantoro; and director of human resources at the Defense Ministry Brig. Gen. Harry Pysand.

At the seminar, organized by the paramilitary regiment of Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University in Tangerang, some speakers and attendees voiced the importance of youth participation in national resilience. Slamet said civilians, especially youths, had the responsibility to participate in maintaining national resilience.

The role of civilian youths is crucial, he said, as the government is unable to carry out compulsory military service programs. "The country needs a lot of funding to provide regular military training for civilians," he said.

In November last year, there were massive protests following the government's plan to introduce obligatory military service for citizens aged between 18 and 45 when required. It also announced it would send a bill on establishing a reserve component to the House of Representatives for approval.

Sakhyan, from the youth affairs ministry, said the government did not have any plans to renew its call for universities to set up training clubs on campus. He said in 1975 the government issued a decree suggesting universities across the country set up paramilitary regiments. In 2000, however, the government annulled the decree.

Student regiments, colloquially known as Menwa, had their heyday during the Soeharto era. University students, mostly male, who applied for membership in the clubs got a set of militaristic paraphernalia, including army-like uniforms.

In the wake of the reform era, however, some Menwa members across the country fell victim to beatings by other students who associated them with Soeharto's military regime.

Such clubs on campus have become the target of harsh criticism as students and the public argue they only display militaristic skills and, often, the abusive behavior of its members. (uwi)