According to the State Secretariat Ministry's official website, setneg.go.id, as quoted by ANTARA in Jakarta on Thursday, the deputy commander’s position that was excluded from the TNI's organizational structure during the era of President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid some two decades ago is stipulated in Article 13.
According to the regulation's Article 13, Point 1, the TNI headquarters are led by a commander and deputy commander, while Article 14, Point 3, stipulates that the TNI commander is assisted by a deputy commander.
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The regulation's Article 15 specifies that the TNI deputy commander assists the TNI commander in conducting his daily duties and functions, as a coordinator, for promoting interoperability among the army, navy, and air force.
Being accountable for the TNI commander, the deputy commander is obliged to advice the TNI chief on matters concerning defense, development of military posture, doctrines, as well as military strategies and empowerment.
The regulation further stipulates that the top brass eligible for being appointed to be the TNI deputy commander should be an army general, marshal, and admiral.
The deputy military's position was removed by Indonesia's fourth president, Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, through a presidential regulation on September 20, 2000. General Fachrul Razi was the last figure appointed to become the TNI deputy commander.
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Razi is currently the religious affairs minister in the Joko Widodo-Ma'ruf Amin administration's Indonesia Onward Cabinet.
There has, thus far, not been a deputy commander's position in TNI's organizational structure, though it was proposed by General (ret) Moeldoko when he was the TNI commander.
However, during his second leadership term, President Widodo had revived the TNI deputy commander’s position as mandated by his Presidential Regulation Number 66 of 2019. Related news: TNI backs government to expedite development in remote areas
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Zuhdiar Laeis, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
