The ongoing feud between parliament and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono over the leadership of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) demonstrates the enduring political power of the military, which was supposed to have ended after former dictator Suharto was ousted back in 1998.
The House of Representatives, which is dominated by parties that oppose Yudhoyono, is insisting that Army chief General Ryamizard Ryacudu – well known for his xenophobic comments and criticism of human rights groups – be appointed as the next TNI commander.
But Yudhoyono wants to retain incumbent TNI commander General Endriartono Sutarto until he consolidates his administration and launches a thorough overhaul of the armed forces' leadership.
Under the law, the president has the right to appoint and dismiss the TNI commander, provided he has the approval of the House.
Unfortunately for Yudhoyono, just days before he assumed office on October 20, his predecessor Megawati Sukarnoputri announced that Sutarto had resigned and proposed that parliament to replace him with Ryacudu.
Yudhoyono subsequently withdrew Megawati's letter of request, which parliament had yet to approve. But legislators ignored the new president's move and this week endorsed Ryacudu's nomination as the TNI commander.
Analysts say the fact that legislators are trying to undermine Yudhoyono by determining the leadership of the military indicates that parliament feels the TNI commander plays a strategic political role – even though Indonesia is supposed to have developed civilian supremacy over the armed forces.
Military observer Edy Prasetyono from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) says the ongoing debate over the TNI succession issue also shows that legislators and the government don't seem to understand that the Defense Ministry is responsible for all policies related to the armed forces.
"This debate has emerged because both sides assume the TNI commander has a strategic political influence that will come into play in powerful political struggles," he was quoted as saying Saturday by detikcom online news portal.
He said separate laws on defense and TNI make it abundantly clear that the TNI commander cannot make strategic policies. "It's a total mistake to think the TNI commander has political influence because all TNI policies have to be determined by the defense minister," he said. "So whoever becomes TNI commander, it won't matter because there won't be many changes to TNI. And TNI is under the supervision of civilian authority," he asserted.
Prasetyono warned that if the debate over the TNI succession issue continues, the military commander will become a politically powerful figure and feel encouraged to indulge in political ambitions – rather than serve as a professional soldier under civilian control. "It's imperative that precedence be given to how we control TNI," said the University of Indonesia lecturer.
He said it's therefore necessary to review the appropriateness of the mechanism under which the TNI commander is appointed and dismissed.
"If we are convinced that TNI is being supervised by civilian authority, then it again becomes irrelevant as to whether or not there's agreement concerning the appointment of the TNI commander," he said. "What's clear is that we must be on our guard lest the position of TNI commander has a significant political role," he added.
The armed forces played a dominant socio-political role throughout the repressive regime of Suharto, who was forced to resign in May 1998 amid financial turmoil and deadly rioting.
Until 1997, the military and police were always allocated 100 seats in parliament. After the fall of Suharto, the security forces' representation was reduced from 75 to 38 seats in 1999. After this year's historic direct elections, active generals were last month completely removed from parliament, though analysts say the military's real power was never really in its legislative seats – but instead came from its ability to create or quell security problems, as well as its far-reaching presence in legal and illegal businesses.
Who's the boss?
Yudhoyono on Thursday compounded his already tense relationship with parliament by prohibiting Ryacudu from attending a selection hearing with legislators for the post of TNI commander. Unperturbed by the ban, parliament's Commission I on defense affairs on Friday promptly endorsed Ryacudu to become the next military chief.
Although some legislators conceded the final decision is in the hands of the Yudhoyono, others demanded the president be summoned to explain why he had withdrawn Megawati's letter nominating Ryacudu as TNI commander.
Commission I chairman Theo L. Sambuaga, a member of Golkar Party, said the endorsement of Ryacudu would be put before a plenary House meeting for approval next week. But he said the meeting would not touch on Yudhoyono's October 25 decision to revoke Megawati's letter.
He said that in line with the law on TNI, the House had 20 working days in which to approve Megawati's letter – dated October 8 – proposing that Ryacudu become military chief. If the House had failed to reach an agreement within that time, the president would be able to nominate another candidate for the leadership of TNI.
"We decided that the 20 days would be counted since the date the law on TNI came into effect, that is, October 16, 2004. This means that the 20 days are up today [Friday], November 5. Because we have had not had any spare time, we will recommend that it [Ryacudu's endorsement] be put before a plenary House meeting for approval," he said.
Nevertheless, Sambuaga acknowledged that the law gives the president the right to propose and appoint the TNI commander. "In accordance with the provisions of the law, the president is authorized to appoint a candidate as TNI commander. But whether there is agreement or not, that's in the hands of the president," he said. "The ball is currently in the president's hands. But we assume the president will appoint an appropriate candidate as commander, in line with the provisions of the law," he added.
Fellow Commission I member Happy Bone Zulkarnaen, who is also from Golkar, said Ryacudu has already legally become the de jure TNI commander, but the timing of his inauguration will depend on Yudhoyono.
Zulkarnaen and 55 other House members on Friday submitted a petition to House speaker Agung Laksono (another Golkar member), requesting that the House exercise its right to question the president over the appointment of a new TNI chief. The petition was initiated by members of parliament's dominant Nationhood Coalition, which has vowed to serve as an opposition force against Yudhoyono.
The signatories included Yorrys Raweyai and Yudi Krisnadi of Golkar, Permadi of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), and Commission I deputy chairman Effendi Choirie of the National Awakening Party (PKB). Another signatory was Djoko Edhi Sutjipto of the National Mandate Party (PAN), which is not a member of the Nationhood Coalition and had supported Yudhoyono for the presidency. PAN executive Abdillah Toha said he would talk to Sutjipto because the petition was not in line with the party's policy.
And the nominees are?
Presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng interpreted the House commission's stance on the TNI succession issue by saying legislators had acknowledged Yudhoyono's right to choose the next military chief. "That happened naturally. The matter of the appointment of the TNI commander is the president's prerogative. We appreciate parliament's decision," he was quoted as saying by detikcom.
Asked the vital question of who Yudhoyono would nominate as the new TNI commander, Mallarangeng said the president had not yet selected anyone to replace Sutarto. "For example, it could be Ryamizard Ryacudu or another candidate. We don't know yet. That will be the authority of the president after he consolidates his government. In my opinion, it won't be too long until there's a handover," he said.
Asked precisely when the new TNI commander might be appointed, Mallarangeng replied: "We don't know yet. But the president appreciates the commission's decisions and rights. And we welcome it if commission also appreciates the president's rights. We hoped the House and the president appreciate each other."
United in limbo
Amid the ongoing debate over the succession issue, Sutarto and Ryacudu both attended separate military ceremonies in the West Java capital of Bandung on Friday.
Ryacudu presided over an event in which Lieutenant General Hadi Waluyo was replaced by Major General Kornel Simbolon as commander of the Military Education and Training Command Academy. Waluyo has been promoted to chief of the Army's Strategic Reserve Command. Ryacudu also visited Military Police Education Unit in Cimahi, west of Bandung.
Meanwhile, Sutarto led the closing of a graduation ceremony for 83 cadets at the Military Staff and Command School (Sesko). "TNI is still solid. It's not affected by political matters and we continue to carry out our tasks as usual," Sutarto was quoted as saying by detikcom.
He denied there were any problems in his relationship with Ryacudu. "Earlier we spoke on the telephone, arranging that he would go the Education and Training Academy and I would go to Sesko here." Sutarto said he and Ryacudu would together visit the Military Academy in Tidar, Magelang, Central Java, on Saturday.