Image and Achievement Tainted by Violation of Members

The 77th Anniversary of the Indonesian Military (TNI) is still overshadowed by a number of violations committed by several military personnel. In fact, the image of the Indonesian Military in the world is quite good.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

Rows of combat vehicles parked on Jalan Medan Merdeka Utara, Central Jakarta, Tuesday (4/10/2022).

The 77th Anniversary of the Indonesian Military (TNI) is still overshadowed by a number of violations committed by several military personnel. Indirectly, such violations certainly effect the image of the institution in the eyes of the public. In fact, the image of the Indonesian Military in the world is quite good.

The dynamics of the TNI's image can be seen through the results of a face-to-face survey conducted by Kompas’ Research and Development (Litbang) periodically in 34 provinces. In the period January 2015-January 2022, the public perception of TNI's performance was relatively very good, with an average satisfaction level of around 90 percent for each survey period. In fact, in April 2021, the image of the TNI received the highest satisfaction rate of up to 95.5 percent. At that time, the TNI was considered "very good" by the public, one of which was due to its active role in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Unfortunately, the public perception, which was quite good during that period, suddenly declined to its lowest in the middle of this year. In the June 2022 survey, the satisfaction rate of the TNI was only 84 percent, down 7.2 percentage points from previous research.

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The decline in the image of the TNI certainly cannot be separated from the decline in the people's satisfaction with the government's performance in the fields of politics and security (Polkam). The results of the June 2022 survey showed that the level of public satisfaction with the government's performance in the field of political and security was recorded at 73.1 percent, down from 77.6 percent in the January 2022 survey.

Broadly speaking, these results indicate that the government and security institutions have not been able to fully control political and security issues in the community. The assessment aspects are related to efforts at controlling conflict-separatism, guaranteeing freedom of opinion, guaranteeing a sense of security and opening up public participation. Moreover, at the beginning of the year, there were nationwide protests following the sharp increase in cooking oil prices.

However, referring to the Global Firepower 2022 report, Indonesia's military strength cannot be underestimated. Of the 142 countries assessed, Indonesia was ranked 15th for all assessments, ranging from personnel, main weapons system equipment (Alutsista) to natural resource potential (SDA). Currently, the United States remains in the top position of the world's military power ranking.

KOMPAS/ZULKARNAINI

Members of the TNI Infantry Battalion Raider 112/Dharma Jaya held an exercise at Kajhu Beach, Aceh Besar, Aceh, Tuesday (22/11/2016). The exercise is to increase the ability of troops to face threats to the country.

At the Asian regional level, Indonesia ranks 9th out of 45 countries. Meanwhile, in Southeast Asia, the Indonesian military is in the top position. This ranking is updated annually by Global Firepower (GFP) since 2016.

The recognition of the TNI also came from a number of international organizations can be seen in the number of awards received by the Indonesian Military. For example, on 26 October 2021, the then TNI Chief, Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, received the Order of Australia (Military Division) Honorary Award from Australia, which was presented through the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Penny Williams. This award is an acknowledgment of the TNI’s strong commitment in the bilateral defense relationship, coordination and cooperation of the Indonesian and Australian armed forces.

The good image of the TNI is also inseparable from the role of its members and their achievements. On 24 August 2022, Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) General Dudung Abdurachman received the "Combat Kagitingan Badge" award from the Commander of the Philippine Army, Lt. Gen. Romeo S Brawner Jr. This honorary award was given for the services of the Army Chief of Staff in the assignment of United Nations troops in the Philippines in 1996 for a period of more than one year.

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> Reorientation of the Power Building

Like other state institutions, mistakes or violations committed by members of the military also have contributed to the decline in the image of the TNI in the eyes of the public. The existence of a number of cases involving TNI members could be a factor in the bad image of the TNI at the grassroots. There are several cases involving some members of the TNI that could tarnish the image of the military institution.

First, the case involving TNI personnel who hit a couple of motorbike riders in the Nagreg area, Bandung regency, West Java, and dumped the bodies of the two accident victims into the Serayu River, Central Java. This case, which occurred in December 2021, captured mass public attention because it involved a number of TNI members and was considered quite sadistic, due to the throwing of one of the victims while still alive into the river. In June 2022, the panel of judges of the High Military Court II sentenced a life sentence to a middle officer, one of the perpetrators, who was the mastermind behind the crime, to life imprisonment. He was dismissed from the TNI.

Second, a TNI soldier serving in Papua reportedly defected and joined the armed criminal group (KKB) in the Intan Jaya area. The soldier reportedly left security duties last April and has been dismissed from the TNI and branded a traitor to the state.

The TNI should carry out an internal reform immediately starting from the level of soldiers and continuing to that of the officers.

Third, related to the KKB, in June 2022, a TNI member was also reported to have sold ammunition to a separatist group in Sugapa district, Intan Jaya, Papua. This is a serious violation committed by a TNI member in the assigned area. Instead of crushing the KKB gang members, he enriched himself by selling TNI ammunition to the KKB.

Such cases have contributed to the tarnish of the TNI in the eyes of the public in the last mid-2022 survey. Some members of the TNI, which is considered as the protector of the public, did not fulfill this benevolent expectation, instead behaving in an opposite way, thus tarnishing the image of the military institution. Therefore, the TNI should carry out an internal reform immediately starting from the level of soldiers and continuing to that of the officers. It is needed because, until now, there are still several cases involving members of the TNI that have the potential to reduce people’s belief in the military institution.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Colonel (Inf) Priyanto ahead of the trial of the verdict on the case of dumping the accident victims Handi and Salsabila at the Jakarta High Military Court II in East Jakarta, Tuesday (7/6/2022). The panel of judges sentenced Priyanto to life in prison and was dismissed from the TNI.

Among them, 13 soldiers of the 411/Pandawa Raider Mechanical Infantry Battalion, Kostrad, were involved in a case of alleged mistreatment of civilians in Salatiga, Central Java. Their action claimed five victims; one victim died, and four other victims were hospitalized. There is also another case, in which a member of the TNI with the rank of captain was seen pointing a firearm at the driver of a car on the Jagorawi Toll Road section toward Jakarta. The action was caught on camera by other road users which later went viral on social media. The two cases that occurred last September have further involved TNI personnel in various other criminal offenses.

For example, in the case of mutilation accompanied by robbery in Mimika, Papua, on 22 August 2022, six members of the TNI from the Raider 20 Infantry Brigade are believed to be involved and are suspects.

The policymakers as well as the TNI must improve and also reevaluate thoroughly so that the Sapta Marga pledge embedded in TNI personnel can be fully implemented.

There was another case of the shooting of a TNI wife in Semarang, Central Java, in July, which turned out to be masterminded by her own husband with an extramarital motive.

The series of criminal cases, criminal offenses and betrayals that occurred within the TNI should be of mutual concern. The policymakers as well as the TNI must improve and also reevaluate thoroughly so that the Sapta Marga pledge embedded in TNI personnel can be fully implemented.

Clean up from within

The series of cases implicating members of the TNI indirectly indicate the need for evaluation and changes from the internal body of the institution. Instead of showing a firm stance in order to protect civilians, TNI members sometimes display arrogance that makes people feel threatened and frightened. This situation needs to change in order to create TNI soldiers who are professional and adaptive to conditions in society.

Another TNI internal problem is also seen in terms of welfare. During the Indonesian Navy’s anniversary ceremony in Jakarta, the Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Yudo Margono mentioned the welfare of soldiers. This concern has been responded to, with the improvement of housing facilities and allowances for soldiers sailing on warships. With the improvements in welfare, it is expected that members can fully focus on assignments without having to think about the basic needs of life.

Also read:

> Priyanto Tarnishes the Image of the TNI

Moreover, the issue of state sovereignty and security has faced a number of challenges recently. Tensions on the North Natuna Sea border between foreign and local ships have not subsided until now. The last one occurred on 8 September, 2022, when four fishermen were intercepted by a Chinese Coast Guard vessel.

To deal with external problems, it is necessary to first address internal problems. The image of the TNI in the eyes of the world does not need to be doubted and can be a valuable asset in the commemoration of the 77th Anniversary of the TNI. Now the TNI still needs to make a further consolidation, particularly in nurturing its members and upholding the principle of professionalism. It is not just for the sake of the image of the institution, but more importantly, for fulfilling three dimensions in one soul, and the determination and fighting spirit of the TNI. Happy 77th Anniversary of the TNI! (Litbang Kompas)

This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.