The Indonesian military (TNI) has the main task of upholding state sovereignty, defending the territorial integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia based on the ideology of Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, and protecting the entire nation and the entire homeland of Indonesia from threats and disturbances to the integrity of the nation and state. The technical form is military operations.
But in addition to the main tasks, the Indonesian military also has other duties that do not involve kinetic warfare versions of military operations, such as securing strategic national vital objects, carrying out world peace tasks in accordance with Indonesia foreign policy, securing the President and vice president and their families, assisting the police of the Republic of Indonesia in the framework of the task of security and public order as regulated by law, helping to cope with the consequences of natural disasters, evacuation, and providing humanitarian assistance, assisting local governments, and others.
Here, as part of the Indonesian military, I would like to talk about the task of the Indonesian military (TNI) in assisting local governments. The task of assisting local government comes in the form of actions such as assisting the implementation of government functions in conditions and situations that require military facilities, tools and capabilities to resolve the problems being faced, including helping to cope with the effects of natural disasters, rehabilitating infrastructure, and overcoming problems resulting from strikes and communal conflict. In other words, the Indonesian military has the task of assisting local governments (of course, civilian governments) in solving problems that are being faced in society
One of the technical forms of this task is the “Manunggal Village Development” program (called “TMMD” in Indonesia version). Manunggal means “cooperating and integrating between military and people. TMMD is a form of TNI Service Operations, which is an integrated cross-sectoral program between the TNI and the Department, Non-Departmental Government Agencies and Regional Governments as well as other components of the nation, which is carried out in an integrated manner with the community, in order to increase the acceleration of development activities in rural areas, especially in the regions which are classified as underdeveloped, isolated, borderline, and urban slum areas as well as other areas affected by the disaster.
This program is also part of the TNI Army’s commitment to participate in building the nation and state together with other components of the nation in a synergistic and sustainable manner. In the implementation of TMMD, the Indonesian Army cooperates with the Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration of the Republic of Indonesia along with all its staff. In addition, cooperation is also carried out with the Provincial Planning Board, the Community Empowerment Agency and the Provincial Village Government (called BPMPDP in Indonesia version) as well as the Regional or Regency/City Government.
In other words, TMMD as a form of service for the realization of national defense in the region, is also an effort by the TNI to contribute to preserving the history and value of the unity of the TNI-People. Substantially, TMMD can be seen as TNI’s active involvement in rural development. Meanwhile, in terms of formula, TMMD is a leap in development methodology that refers to simplicity, togetherness and cross-sectoral coordination of functions from several agencies/institutions.
The TMMD program mechanism is based on the spirit of Bottom Up Planning from the results of village deliberation or discussion, followed by a meeting at the sub-district level and then discussed at the district or city level. It was only then that the TNI “cooperation in building village” (TMMD) is programmed. Here it can be seen that to determine the targets of the TMMD requires a long process because it must be based on the needs that are the most urgent and needed by the villagers. Not only about planning, TMMD project work always involves various elements of community components, including elements of the TNI, Regional Government, departmental and non-departmental institutions as well as the community.
Strategically, the TMMD program will certainly foster the spirit of mutual cooperation in the midst of the increasing threat of social cohesion and globalization. Most of the targets of the TMMD project are spread out in rural areas or in underdeveloped villages, but this does not reduce and minimize the meaning of the philosophy it carries, namely the unity of the TNI and the people.
Because historically, however, the spirit of the birth of the TNI cannot be separated from the people, born from the people and raised by the people. This means that what the TNI does must be oriented to the interests of the people, not to the interests of certain groups or groups. This is where the importance of one of the visions and missions of the TNI in carrying out its main task must be, namely to be loved and loved by its people.
And for this year in my area of duty as Commander of the Pematang Siantar Sub Regional Military Command (called Korem in Indonesia version), North Sumatra, Indonesia, the TNI and the people have agreed on several activities. Among others are: helping to irrigate the community’s rice fields of approximately 200 hectares which in 2018 were destroyed by floods, assisting the Pematang Siantar city government in increasing the competitiveness of the regional agricultural sector, and helping to accelerate the mitigation of Covid 19 which is still threatening public health. in the area.
The outputs expected from this program are, among others, helping the community in irrigating rice fields during floods, preventing the occurrence of banjor and landslide disasters, and accelerating development in the Pematang Siantar City area. This program will run from August 21, 2021 to October 14, 2021. As usual, through this program, the Indonesian military, especially the Army, will always strive to remain together with the people, integrating with the people in developing the region. This is the spirit that the Indonesian military wants to continue to preserve.
