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Golkar Official Raises Fear of Military Revolt After Colonel’s Criticism of SBY
Markus Junianto Sihaloho | September 08, 2010

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mauriceg
8:53am Sep 8, 2010

Nobody should be pushing for an ostensibly politically 'neutral' armed forces to come up with 'opinions' or 'moods' and should be forced to desist. Similarly criticism of the government or the President, by military personnel should be disallowed.

Whatever the perceived shortcomings of the present government, they should be a totally civil and civilian matter only.

This is an alarming and dangerous development.


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Jakarta. A Golkar Party official has pressed the military to determine the “real mood” within its ranks following an Air Force officer’s scathing attack against President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Golkar’s Priyo Budi Santoso, a deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, warned that Col. Adjie Suradjie’s criticism of Yudhoyuno could signal discontent within the armed forces.

In an opinion piece published in the national daily Kompas on Monday, Adjie criticised the president for being indecisive and for failing to combat graft.

Priyo said that if the rest of the officers hold a similar sentiment, a military revolt could be in the offing.

“I only hope that what Adjie wrote to the newspaper and what he feels is just his own disappointment, and not a sentiment shared by other ranking officers,” he said.

Otherwise, he said, restive officers could hold a mutiny similar to those led by former Col. Gregorio Honasan in the Philippines. Honasan staged coups against then President Corazon Aquino from 1986 to 1987.

The Air Force said it is already investigating Adjie, who may be sanctioned over his article.

Military officers are prohibited from publicly criticizing their superior. Yudhoyono, as president, is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

Edi Prabowo, the House chairman of the opposition Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), said Adjie should face the consequences for breaching protocol. He agreed, however, that Adjie’s concerns should be addressed because a true democracy valued free speech.

Pramono Anung, member of the opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said Adjie’s statements should be given due attention because they “reflect what most Indonesians think.”

But presidential spokesman Heru denounced Adjie’s “harsh comments,” which he said were groundless.

“He was wrong to claim the president had failed to eradicate corruption,” he said.

“All the graft cases currently being investigated occurred before Yudhoyono came to office.”

Meanwhile, in a letter also published in Kompas, Air Force spokesman First Marshall Bambang Samudro said Adjie is the subject of an ongoing probe for alleged corruption.

The Jakarta Globe tried to clarify the charges filed against Adjie, but calls to Bambang went unanswered.