Directives of President of the Republic of Indonesia during the 2021 Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) and Indonesian National Police (Polri) Leadership Meeting Monday, 15 February 2021 at the State Palace, Special Capital Region of Jakarta

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

Good morning,

May peace be upon us all,

Om Swastiastu.

Distinguished Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia;

Distinguished Ministers of Indonesia Onward Cabinet; Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Minister of Defense who are present;

Distinguished Commander of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) and all ranks of TNI;

Distinguished Chief of the Indonesian National Police (Polri) and all ranks of Polri, Chiefs of Staff of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as Military Commanders, Regional Police Chiefs, and all ranks of TNI-Polri throughout the country;

Ladies and Gentlemen.

On this special occasion, first and foremost, I would like to express my utmost gratitude and appreciation, most sincere appreciation to all ranks of the TNI and Polri, who in difficult times, especially when disaster occurs, including during one year of COVID-19 pandemic, have always been in the forefront, in the front line of every disaster or crisis management. Every measure we take is not only to overcome crises, but in every crisis there are always lessons and opportunities. We must use these for national development.

Distinguished Leadership Meeting attendees,

I need to assert that the health crisis due to COVID-19 is not over. First, I order all ranks of the TNI and Polri to remain active in enforcing health protocols, disciplining 3M measures (wearing a face mask, washing hands, and maintaining a safe distance), and supporting 3T measures (testing, tracing, and treatment), as well as supporting the implementation of micro-scale social restrictions at village scale. Why do I need to emphasize on this matter? Because in villages, TNI has Babinsa (village supervisory non-commissioned personnel), because in villages, Polri has Bhabinkamtibmas (public order officers). And we expect that everyone works with an integrated manner. We hope the COVID-19 transmission chain will be quickly broken off and that this crisis will be over soon.

Second, I order all ranks of the TNI and Polri to support mass vaccination. Indeed, vaccination is held at community health centers, vaccination is also held at hospitals, but mass vaccination needs to be held in certain clusters as well. Perhaps, it can be held at markets, for example, or at centers of economic services, or in red-zone residential areas, for TNI and Polri are quick to manage every emergency or crisis.

To date, the Government continues to strive to acquire vaccines from many countries, but as for now, the vaccines are only from one country, but we are striving to obtain them from several countries. And 215 countries struggle to obtain them too. We have to realize, it is not easy to acquire vaccines right now. And I have ordered to accelerate domestic vaccine production, the Red and White Vaccine, but it also takes time, perhaps it can only be produced, God willing, at the end of the year.

We know that our target to achieve herd immunity is to vaccinate approximately 70 percent of our population. We have calculated it yesterday, the figure is approximately 182 million people who have to be vaccinated. These are the people who have to be injected. Because it needs two doses, it means we have to inject 364 million doses, not a small figure. As this figure will achieve herd immunity. Therefore, I order the TNI and Polri to move quickly to assist the vaccination so that we can complete it soon. And I also order the TNI and Polri to secure vaccination distribution throughout the country.

Furthermore, third, I order all ranks of the TNI and Polri to actively support conducive business climate and investment climate since what we need now are work opportunities. Employment has drastically decreased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, strengthen political stability and security. This is so important, paramount. Provide legal certainty because, once again, business climate, investment climate are essential as they will enhance our economic growth.

Distinguished Leadership Meeting attendees,

Besides health and business sectors, we must also be serious in improving social sector, cultural sector, political sector, government sector. Hence fourth, I order all ranks of the TNI and Polri to always respect and uphold democracy, as well as to provide justice to the people. Our country is a democratic country that respects freedom of speech and organization activities. Our country is a nation of laws that must enforce laws as just as possible, protect common interests, as well as guarantee justice for the people.

Recently, I have seen more people reporting each other. There have been legal processes that are deemed rather unjust, but the informants did provide the legal references. This is where it becomes complicated, the Law on Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE Law). I understand that the spirit of ITE Law is to keep Indonesia’s digital space clean, healthy, ethical, and able to be used productively, but do not let the implementation/enforcement cause injustice.

Therefore, I order the Chief of Polri to remind your ranks to be more selective, once again, more selective to respond to and receive reports on ITE Law violations. Beware, the articles that can cause multiple interpretations must be translated carefully, thoroughly. Create the official guidance for interpreting the articles of ITE Law in order to be clear. And the Chief of Polri must improve supervision for the implementation to be consistent, accountable, and just.

If the ITE Law cannot provide justice, well, I will ask the House of Representatives to amend the law, the ITE Law, because this is the upstream. The upstream will be amended, specifically, vague articles which can be interpreted differently, which can be easily interpreted unilaterally. Certainly, we must maintain Indonesia’s digital space, once again, clean, healthy, and ethical, full of politeness, full of manners, and productive.

Finally, fifth, I order the TNI and Polri to be institutions that are more professional and work in synergy. Be modern organizations with good governance, that are transparent, accountable, corruption free, that uphold Pancasila, utilize science and technological development, and work, once again, with synergy to protect the people, the interests of the people, the interests of the nation, the interests of the state. The professionalism of and synergy between TNI and Polri will be the guards of national strength and innovation towards onward Indonesia.

I think that concludes my directives on this auspicious occasion.

I thank you.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. (DH/MMB)