(Jakarta, 23rd) The Indonesian Ministry of Defense has published a full-page advertisement in domestic newspapers to defend the military's participation in implementing policies unrelated to defense, stating that the Ministry of Defense is transforming and expanding into a “national defense based on prosperity and cross-sectoral cooperation.”
The advertisement, titled “No Longer Just the Military: The Indonesian Style of National Defense,” appeared on Monday (September 22) in Indonesia’s major newspaper Kompas.
The advertisement claims that the government, through the involvement of the Ministry of Defense, promotes national resilience and lists ten measures in which the military participates, including a free nutritious meal program, the establishment of 100 new military camps in the medical and agricultural sectors, and using military laboratories to manufacture pharmaceuticals.
The advertisement also says that the Ministry of Defense has used “military methods” to train thousands of young graduates with public nutrition knowledge to serve as supervisors and nutritionists in kitchens for the national nutritious meal program.
The Ministry of Defense expects that the number of such camps will reach 500 within five years, and will “provide protection for the government's strategic programs.”
Since his election last year, Indonesian President Prabowo has expanded the number of government positions held by military personnel and relied on the military to implement many of his policies. These include assisting in the implementation of the free nutritious meal program for schoolchildren, manufacturing medicine, launching agricultural projects, and seizing palm oil plantations.
The expanding role of the military has drawn criticism, with student groups and civil society activists concerned that Indonesia may return to the “New Order era” of military rule under authoritarian leader Suharto.
Made Supriatma, a visiting fellow at Singapore's ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, told Reuters that the Ministry of Defense is promoting a policy of “securitizing” the civil sector. “The authorities are trying (through advertisements) to sell their approach to the public, but it doesn’t matter whether the public accepts it or not, because the authorities are already implementing these activities anyway.”
The Indonesian Ministry of Defense did not respond to Reuters’ inquiry regarding the reasons for publishing the advertisement.
The advertisement, titled “No Longer Just the Military: The Indonesian Style of National Defense,” appeared on Monday (September 22) in Indonesia’s major newspaper Kompas.
The advertisement claims that the government, through the involvement of the Ministry of Defense, promotes national resilience and lists ten measures in which the military participates, including a free nutritious meal program, the establishment of 100 new military camps in the medical and agricultural sectors, and using military laboratories to manufacture pharmaceuticals.
The advertisement also says that the Ministry of Defense has used “military methods” to train thousands of young graduates with public nutrition knowledge to serve as supervisors and nutritionists in kitchens for the national nutritious meal program.
The Ministry of Defense expects that the number of such camps will reach 500 within five years, and will “provide protection for the government's strategic programs.”
Since his election last year, Indonesian President Prabowo has expanded the number of government positions held by military personnel and relied on the military to implement many of his policies. These include assisting in the implementation of the free nutritious meal program for schoolchildren, manufacturing medicine, launching agricultural projects, and seizing palm oil plantations.
The expanding role of the military has drawn criticism, with student groups and civil society activists concerned that Indonesia may return to the “New Order era” of military rule under authoritarian leader Suharto.
Made Supriatma, a visiting fellow at Singapore's ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, told Reuters that the Ministry of Defense is promoting a policy of “securitizing” the civil sector. “The authorities are trying (through advertisements) to sell their approach to the public, but it doesn’t matter whether the public accepts it or not, because the authorities are already implementing these activities anyway.”
The Indonesian Ministry of Defense did not respond to Reuters’ inquiry regarding the reasons for publishing the advertisement.