Jakarta – National Military (TNI) commander Air Chief Marshall Djoko Suyanto said Wednesday that officers aspiring to be politicians should retire. Suyanto said officers who retire, run for elections and lose cannot re-enter the force.

"It's TNI's official line; a serving officer cannot run in the election," Suyanto said as quoted by Antara. He added that the policy was intended to demonstrate that the military was serious about abandoning politics.

During the 32 years of Soeharto's authoritarian rule, the military played a dominant role in politics. Military officers, both active and retired, held key positions in the government.

The 2004 law on the military bars the TNI from politics so that it can focus on its defense functions.