Erwida Maulia, Cipanas, West Java – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Friday military personnel might be allowed to vote in the 2014 legislative and presidential elections, ending decades of state policy banning soldiers from casting ballots.
He said that as any other citizen, military personnel had a political right that should not be violated, and that their counterparts in other countries could vote.
"It is the (election) law, however, that will determine whether or not they can finally vote. The government and the House of Representatives will deliberate the law," Yudhoyono said.
The President said his administration had no objection to giving military personnel the right to vote, but added that there should be conditions imposed.
"In the past, TNI (Indonesian Military) personnel were not allowed to vote because of concerns it could lead to cracks in the institution, which would then affect their security function, including in securing the elections.
"If this is no longer an issue, then they should be allowed to use their right to vote," the President said.
In country's history, TNI personnel have only voted once, during the 1955 legislative elections. During the New Order era, the TNI and police had their own wing in the House, one of the main reasons why they were not given a vote, as they were already represented.
The TNI and National Police wing was later dissolved in the reform era, and the 2003 Election Law banned TNI personnel from voting in the 2004 elections.
While the law on the 2009 elections does not explicitly strip the military personnel right to vote, they were not able to vote in last year's eelction due to internal military regulations.
TNI chief Gen. Djoko Santoso, however, said earlier this week that the TNI would soon study the possibility of TNI personnel participating in elections.
"There is still a long way to go before we decide whether we want this option. I have to discuss this matter with all key military officials," Djoko said Wednesday.
Activists doubt the military is ready for the right to vote, saying the move would undermine the country's young democracy.
"We should wait at least another 30 years because we are still in the process of developing our democracy," Hendardi of the Setara Institute said.