REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono reminded the Indonesian military and police to remain neutral and stay away from unwavering offers that draw institutions into practical politics during the July 9, 2014, presidential election.
"The neutrality of the Indonesian military and police must be preserved, don't step back, don't break it, and don't betray the uneasy process of the military and polices reformation at that time," President Yudhoyono stated while addressing high-level officers of the Indonesian Army on Monday.
According to Yudhoyono, there is confirmed information about some parties trying to influence high-level military and police officers to get involved in practical politics.
"The information has been confirmed, and of course, it is not just invaluable confirmation that some parties have been trying to draw some high-level officers to support a specific presidential candidate. They even say that the members of the military and the police do not need to listen to their president as he is a leader of a sinking ship, and it is better to find a brighter new president," Yudhoyono stressed.
Yudhoyono deplored such offers that were not just tempting to the related individual to violate the seven clans and soldiers vow, but also possibly threatened the stability of the state, the nation, and the reformation process.
"Be careful, don't be tempted," he added.
However, President Yudhoyono said if some military or polices member was keen to take up a career in politics, they were allowed to forego their position and become a civilian.
"If they think they have a potential political career in the future, then they must submit their resignation to their superiors," he noted.
Yudhoyono cited examples of some high-level military and police officers who chose a political career, including himself who joined the Democratic Party, Prabowo Subianto who joined the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), and Wiranto who joined the Peoples Conscience Party (Hanura).
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