Veteran Association Supports Gov’t in Disbanding Anti-Pancasila Mass Organizations

Pepabri Chairman Agum Gumelar, accompanied by TNI and Police Veterans, gives a press conference after meeting with President Jokowi at the Merdeka Palace on Tuesday (25/7). (Photo by: JAY/Public Relations Division)

Veterans of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) and the Indonesian National Police, allied under Association of Armed Forces Veteran of the Republic of Indonesia (Pepabri), fully support the Government’s move to disband anti-Pancasila (state ideology) mass organizations.

The statement was made by the Association’s Chairman Agum Gumelar during their meeting with President Joko ‘Widodo’ Widodo on Tuesday (25/7) at the Merdeka Palace.

Agum also said that although those veterans no longer have personal interests, their thoughts and ideas are expected to be useful for the state and the nation.

“We strongly support the Government’s moves in disbanding mass organizations that become predators for Pancasila and which are against it. That’s what we conveyed to the President,” Agum said to reporters after the meeting.

The veterans, Agum said, are very convinced of the presence of such mass organizations that have been disbanded by the Government. He also said that for the veterans, Pancasila is their life guide as enshrined by the Sapta Marga (TNI seven-point personnel commitment).

“So if there are movements that try to become the predators of Pancasila, they will have to deal with us,” Agum said.

Regarding the possibility of soldiers who join anti-Pancasila mass organizations, Agum said if there are soldiers who do so, they have certainly violated the Sapta Marga or the Tribrata (three points commitment) for the police.

“We must not let such things happen,” he said.

Agum admitted that among veterans, some of them are influenced by a number of radical thoughts; thus, he urged those veterans to abide by the Sapta Marga, Sumpah Prajurit (five-point personnel oath), and the Tribrata.

During the meeting, Agum said President Jokowi conveyed the Government’s economic development programs that are under way and the development of political situation faced by the country, especially by the current government.

“We told the President that we are also concerned with the current situation faced by this country. But we assured the President that our concern towards the current situation would not lead to pessimism. We remain optimistic that this nation will be a big nation,” Agum said.

The TNI and Police veterans, Agum said, believe that none of the Presidents, from Soekarno, Soeharto and President Jokowi, have the intention to bring misery for their people.

“What they do have is the art of a President in truly identifying problems faced by their people and the art in finding the best and the most prudent solutions to address those problems,” Agum said.

Also joining Agum in the press conference were former Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto and former Chief of the Indonesian National Police Bambang Hendarso Danuri. (RAH/JAY/ES)(EP/YM/Naster)