Jakarta – Indonesia's Parliament is debating a controversial Bill to safeguard the military's profile and let it continue its regional commands.
But analysts, fearing a throwback to the Suharto era, say the military's territorial functions could pave the way for a revival of its political role. The debate is likely to dominate deliberations on the Indonesian Military (TNI) Bill which kicked off on Thursday.
According to the Bill, among the TNI's underlying jobs are conducting territorial missions to help the government improve the state's defences, organising military training for civilians and upholding the doctrine of unity between the military and the people.
One of its hotly debated provisions will allow military officials concurrently to hold certain civilian posts.
The military was one of the main organisations that helped keep former president Suharto in office for more than three decades until he was forced to step down in 1998.
In a major reform measure that followed in 2001, the police force was carved out from the TNI and placed directly under the President.
Some factions in the House of Representatives – the United Development Party (PPP), the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Crescent Star Party (PBB) – oppose the presence of military institutions down to the district level.
The largest faction, which is President Megawati Sukarnoputri's party Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), has stepped clear of demanding the liquidation of regional military commands as suggested by some parliamentary factions as well as activists.
What it suggested was that the military focus its territorial operations in border areas.
The Golkar party, the second-largest faction, was undecided but talked tough about the 'obsolete' doctrine of unity.
Human-rights activists and military experts have suggested the military fall under the supervision of the Defence Ministry in order to build a more professional force.
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Hari Sabarno has insisted the regional military commands would be maintained for defence purposes only.