Bidding Farewell at Military Academy, President SBY Advises that TNI Must Be Strong

Bidding Farewell at Military Academy, President SBY Advises that TNI Must Be Strong

Toward the end of his tenure as the President of the Republic of Indonesia, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) attended the joint ceremony of Indonesian National Military (TNI) and Indonesian National Police (Polri) at the Military Academy in Magelang, Central Java, on Friday morning (17/10).

In the ceremony which was also attended by TNI Commander-in-Chief General Moeldoko, TNI Chiefs of Staff, and Polri Commander-in-Chief General Sutarman, President SBY said that on the last days he assumed the position of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, he expressed his thanks to all TNI’s and Polri’s personnel. “May TNI and Polri be great forever,” he prayed.

According to President SBY, on 7 October 2014 when TNI’s anniversary was celebrated in Surabaya, East Java, the public saw gladly that our military grows stronger, readier, and more prepared to defend the sovereignty and the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).

“Indonesian peoples expect that their military is strong. If our military and our police are strong, our country also becomes strong. On the contrary, if our military and our police are weak, our country will also become weak,” President SBY said and then reminded all TNI soldiers of their oaths that this country must be strong in order to improve its peoples’ welfare.

President SBY asserted that strong TNI is essential because our 1945 National Constitution mandates that the sovereignty and the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) must be maintained and defended. Various threats will always come up, and consequently, Indonesia must always be prepared, TNI and Polri must always be prepared, and all of us must also be always prepared.

“We must be able to prevent and handle insurgencies and all actions against our country wherever they are. Should our prevention fail, we must be able to combat terror against our country. We must also be able to maintain our public security and order,” President SBY stated.

On that occasion, President SBY took the good opportunity to inaugurate the establishment of the Air Squadron – 16 (Vijayakantaka Abhyastivirayate) and the Marine Infantry Battalion – 10 Satria Bhumi Yudha.

The event which also served as President SBY’s farewell ceremony was also attended by Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto, TNI Commander-in-Chief General Moeldoko, Polri Commander-in-Chief General Sutarman, TNI Chiefs of Staff, and thousands of TNI soldiers. (Humas Setkab/RAM/ES)