Pros and cons of the TNI under the defense ministry.

(From The Jakarta Post)

Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono recently made quite an interesting statement, that ideally the Indonesian Military (TNI) should be under his ministry's authority, while the National Police (Polri) should be under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

He added that it would take at least three to five years to see this ideal arrangement become a reality. Currently both the National Police and the TNI are directly under the President. The National Police separated from the TNI and were put under the president's control in April 1999, or one year after Soeharto's fall.

Juwono has also said it is common practice for the President to have direct access to the TNI chief and the National Police chief.

Although TNI Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto quickly played down the minister's idea, questioning the readiness of the civilian minister to lead …