Dani Aswara, Jakarta – The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) asserts that promotions and job rotations within the military adhere to the principles of meritocracy and professionalism. This statement, made by Major General Freddy Ardianzah, Head of the TNI Information Center, comes in response to criticism from a civil society coalition regarding President Prabowo Subianto's policy direction on military careers.
"We respect public opinion as part of the dynamics of democracy. However, we need to convey that the career development system in the TNI has been running on the principles of objectivity, professionalism, and meritocracy," Freddy said in a short message on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
The TNI's statement addresses a civil society coalition's criticism that the root of the problem in the military's career system is not the debate between seniority and juniority, but rather the strong politicization of the promotion process. This criticism was jointly issued by several institutions on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, the day after Prabowo's speech at the 80th Anniversary of the TNI.
In his speech, Prabowo urged the TNI to stop being fixated on seniority in determining leadership. He directed that job promotions should be based on achievement, dedication, and loyalty to the country.
Freddy stated that Prabowo's direction, as the Commander-in-Chief of the TNI, already serves as the main guideline for a soldier's career progression. "The TNI considers that positions must be filled by the most competent soldiers, with a good track record, and a high dedication to their tasks and the country," he said.
The civil society coalition highlighted several job promotions considered unusual, including the extraordinary promotion of Teddy Indra Wijaya, who currently serves as the Cabinet Secretary. They mentioned that such practices strengthen the impression of political intervention in the military career system.
However, Freddy denied this assumption. He emphasized that extraordinary promotions are granted as a form of appreciation for exceptional achievements or services, not due to political factors. "Everything is done through applicable mechanisms," he stressed.
The coalition behind the criticism includes Imparsial, De Jure, the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI), the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), the Indonesian Women's Coalition, the Centra Initiative, and the Raksha Initiative. They believe that the politicization of officer promotions has blurred the meritocracy principle that should form the foundation of the military career system.
Tempo has contacted Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya for comment on the criticism, but as of the publication of this report, he has not responded.