JAKARTA. A cross-sector meeting on border management led by Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo on Tuesday raised again a controversial plan to deploy military personnel to various areas outside Java and allow them to get involved in civilian affairs in the respective areas.

During the meeting, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto instructed local administrations to identify locations in border and remote areas where Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel could be deployed to help local people develop their areas by, among others ways, getting engaged in farming and the empowerment of the local economy.

“I have one month [to further discuss the plan]; therefore, what if [I give local leaders] one week [to identify the areas]?" Wiranto said in the meeting.

He later cited a recent success in a location in East Java where a company of soldiers was allowed to help locals to manage 40 hectares of rice fields.

Wiranto declined to either give more details about the plan or to comment on how deep the penetration of the military into civilian life would be.

Concerns over the growing military role in civilian matters have emerged in the past few years. Only last week President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo ordered the deployment of more military personnel to border areas to build both a stronger economy and defense. This sparked fresh debate as the President’s call reminded many people in the country about the New Order military regime.

A 2015 Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) report revealed the military had attempted not only to expand its influence into civilian areas, but also to take back some powers from the police since Jokowi, a former governor who has no military background, took office over two years ago.

The military's clout in politics and civilian affairs during the dictatorship of late president Soeharto had been dramatically reduced over fears that a strong military role in non-combat operations would recreate the trauma of authoritarian rule.

In 2000, the TNI's authority in security affairs was stripped as part of a democratic reform movement, with the National Police, which was granted the sole authority to handle security, being removed from the TNI command structure.(Ina Parlina)

Editor: Barratut Taqiyyah Rafie