Descendants of PKI Members Eligible to Join the Military: TNI Commander

TheIndonesia.id - Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Andika Perkasa has reiterated that descendants of the Indonesian Communist Party, or PKI, are eligible to take part in the recruitment process to enlist in the military.

Perkasa gave a warning that military recruits shouldn’t be removed from recruitment list solely due to the fact that they are the descendants of PKI members.

“What’s banned is PKI, then communism, Marxism, and Leninism. That’s what’s written,” he said on Wednesday, March 30, as reported by Antara, referring to Resolution No. 25/1966 of Provisional People's Consultative Assembly (TAP MPRS XXV/1966).

Therefore, he called for questions related to familial relationship between recruits and PKI members to be removed from the selection process this year, and he also warned the selection committee to refrain making rules and decisions without having solid legal basis.

 “Let’s not make things up. I obey the law, and [everyone must] remember that there should be legal basis when we create prohibition,” the commander said.

During a coordination meeting to discuss the 2022’s TNI recruitment, Perkasa accepted reports related to the selection process, including the steps, mechanisms, selection methods, and questions asked to recruits during ideology test.

Besides talking about the PKI-related issue, Perkasa also suggested that physical and swimming tests to be eliminated because it’s similar to the one conducted in health screening and not every recruit has access to swimming pool and to learn how to swim.

“It’s not fair,” Perkasa commented.

Lastly, he also asked selection committee to omit academic test and to, instead, use recruits’ GPA and academic transcript for consideration.