Indonesia’s military will be less politicised

Subject

Indonesia's new military leadership.

Significance

Indonesian President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo is seeking more stable civil-military relations ahead of the elections due in 2019. A key role of the military is to assist central and local governments with infrastructure programmes. Yet Jokowi’s appointment in December of Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto as head of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), replacing General Gatot Nurmantyo, underlined his preference for a low-key military leader who has no known political ambitions.

Impacts

• The military will be under pressure to avoid engaging politically with the upcoming local elections.
• Indonesia may prioritise the upgrading of port infrastructure in keeping with Jokowi’s ‘maritime axis’ doctrine.
• Jakarta’s navy will blow up more foreign boats as part of Indonesia’s ‘sink the vessels’ policy to combat illegal fishing.