Soldiers, Capital and Politics

Kompas/Wisnu Widiantoro

Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo leaves the State Palace after attending a limited cabinet meeting with President Joko Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Thursday (28/9).

Many observers believe Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo has started to campaign. Specifically Gatot is believed to have begun mobilizing support from political parties and Islamic organizations. The stoking of fears about the Indonesian Communist Party’s revival and the mobilization of the public to watch the G30S/PKI film are considered part of the strategy reportedly being used to gather support and raise his popularity as a candidate. Many political parties have asked him to resign from his position as TNI commander.

In reality, Gatot\'s maneuvers are seen by many observers to not only represent his personal ambitions, but as representative of the disappointment and frustration of the TNI, especially the army, which has seen a decline in its role and access to material resources. Departing from the understanding of capital in Indonesia, it is very important to formulate polices on TNI\'s professionalism and its financial implications.