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Ryamizard's plan for defense offices irks lawmakers

Jakarta Post - May 26, 2016

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Margareth S. Aritonang, Jakarta – Refusing to bow to House of Representatives protocol, Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu says he will soon meet the lawmakers that oversee defense to discuss his plan to open defense offices across the country and have active soldiers stationed to operate them.

Ryamizard is expected to elaborate on his arguments in defense of the plan before members of House Commission I during a hearing slated to take place next week. The questionable move will lengthen the list of summonses he could face over his controversial policies.

"The Defense Ministry would usually discuss any plans for policies with Commission I. But all seems to run differently under the leadership of the current minister," said Commission I chairman Mahfudz Siddiq.

"Nowadays, the Defense Ministry will first launch its programs and then explain them to us. This applies to the plan to open defense offices in regions," the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politician added.

Ryamizard's plan to deploy active soldiers to run the new offices has faced initial opposition from Commission I because the retired Army general is deemed to be simply renewing a proposal by his predecessor Purnomo Yusgiantoro, who failed to convince lawmakers of its worth the first time around.

Mahfudz, who has led Commission I since 2009, explained that Purnomo aborted the plan in 2012 right after failing to secure the support from lawmakers during a hearing.

There were no details presented to Commission I members back then as then defense minister Purnomo only uttered a rough plan. There is not much known about Ryamizard's current proposal either.

However, the plan to open regional offices quickly attracted attention following the leak of an official letter from Ryamizard to Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo requesting that the latter assign soldiers to be deployed to take charge of the regional offices.

The ministry plans to assign one-star generals to run its offices in Aceh, East Java, East Kalimantan, Jakarta, Papua, Riau Islands and West Kalimantan. Other offices in the remaining provinces will be under the leadership of colonels, the ministry says.

Commission I deputy chairman Tubagus Hasanuddin said that he and his colleagues had learned about the plan on a recent working visit to Riau Islands province, where he received questions as well as complaints over the opening of defense offices.

"It is just weird that the Defense Minister is re-launching the program again. He must definitely explain his reasons to doing so to us," Tubagus said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/05/26/ryamizard-s-plan-defense-offices-irks-lawmakers.html.