New TNI Commander Fits Into Indonesia's Maritime Vision: Expert

TheIndonesia.id - A political expert has claimed the appointment of Indonesian Military’s (TNI) new commander will support the country’s “maritime axis” narrative since Admiral Yudo Margono possesses the necessary intelligence on maritime and the navy.

Director of IndoStrategi Research and Consulting Arif Nurul Imam said maritime has always been one of President Joko Widodo’s main focuses, and Margono is the right person to carry the torch to make Indonesia the world’s maritime axis.

“Commander Yudo is a TNI soldier from the navy and understands the details and complexity of maritime subject. We believe he can bring Indonesia to be a maritime axis in the world,” Imam said on Wednesday, December 21, as reported by Antara.

Margono was sworn in as the new military commander earlier this week, and previously, he had been the sole nominee after being nominated by President Widodo.

“Furthermore, there is political support from President Jokowi as the highest leader … [and it] will only strengthen [public] optimism," he continued.

Imam suggested a number of fields that the new TNI commander should and will likely focus on, including security and transportation.

As Indonesia is an archipelagic country, he noted that transportation of goods remains expensive, and the country should work even harder to build and develop sea transport.

"Therefore, Indonesians goods and products can become competitive in domestic and international markets," he explained.

However, Margono will only hold his current position for 11 eleven months as he is set to retire in November 2023. What this means is that there is not much time to lay the foundations of a successful maritime country.

“We can only hope that TNI commander Admiral Yudo Margono … can be the figure who’s capable of realizing a globally respected Indonesia that is also the world's maritime axis," Imam concluded.