Jakarta – The Indonesian military is reviewing its role in the country's political life but has vowed to stay in the legislature where its members are appointed directly by the president, reports said here Tuesday. Armed Forces Chief General Wiranto told a parliamentary hearing here on Monday that the Indonesian armed forces (ABRI) was currently "reactualizing, redefining and reorganising" its socio-political role in a systematic and planned way, the Antara news agency said. The Jakarta Post daily quoted Wiranto as saying the military "has and will continue to adjust" its socio-political role.

Under the Indonesian law, the military is given a wide role in the country's socio-politic life besides its more traditional role in defence. In the past, that has translated into active and retired military officers holding key positions in the government, the legislature and the judiciary as well as in mass organisations.

Calls for a review of the armed force's non-defence role were aired by many in the last years of the rule of former President Suharto. But they have since increased after the veteran leader stepped down in May 21 and handed over power to then vice-president B.J. Habibie.

"Therefore, rumors on a planned disbanding of the ABRI socio-political institution is not true. Even though there are changes, it does not mean that the socio-political institution will be disbanded," Wiranto said, referring to the military's influential socio-political department.

The department translates the military's role in socio-political affairs into policies. "ABRI is developing four new paradigm on the socio-political role of the ABRI," Wiranto added. He did not elaborate but said the armed forces was currently enhancing the spirit, soul and application of ABRI's socio-political role in the field.

Antara also quoted the head of the socio-political department, Lieutenant General Susilo Bambang Yudoyono as telling the same hearing that the military planned to hold a seminar to mark the anniversary of the armed forces on October 5. Yudoyono said the seminar, to be held at the command school in nearby Bandung, will also discuss "the role and tasks of ABRI in the future."

Wiranto added that ABRI, whose members do not vote in elections, would stay in the legislature where it has a "voice". "Therefore those who have the idea of taking ABRI out of the DPR (The house of representatives) and the MPR (The People's Consultative Assembly) should better review their ideas again," Wiranto said.

Under the prevailing laws, the military holds 75 of the 500 seats at the DPR. At the MPR the military factions holds 113 seats of the 1,000 seats there but at least 32 members for the 100 representatives from non-political groupings are active military members.

A draft bill on the composition and role of the membership of the MPR, DPR and the parliament at provincial levels to be submitted by the government of Habibie to the parliament this week has already cut down on the military presence in the legislature. If adopted the military would hold 55 seats out of the total 550 at the DPR.

Wiranto was speaking as students from several universities tried to hold a protest at the military headquarters in central Jakarta to demand an end to ABRI's non-defence role as well as to the military's use of force and violence in dealing with internal affairs. About 75 demonstrators were blocked by a cordon of soldiers and police before reaching the headquarters.