Commission I lauds move to hold open military court

The Chairman of Commission I, Mahfudz Siddiq, has lauded a recent order directing that open trials be held for incidents involving military personnel, officers and civilians.

"The order is right. The military court law can impose severe penalties on perpetrators of violations in the ranks of the military," Siddiq said on Thursday. 

According to him, if the judicial process can be carried out transparently, it will satisfy the need for justice in society.

"In the military, guns can only be used by personnel on duty and during operations. The rule must be enforced consistently," the lawmaker said.

The incident has shown omissions in the supervision of soldiers.

He pointed out that the law on military discipline should strengthen supervision within the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), in this case is Indonesian Army (TNI AD).

"The law must be enforced because such violations are considered a serious offense," he said.

In addition, the legislator said the complexity of life can increase the stress level of personnel.

"The increase in stress should be a concern of the TNI to anticipate similar incidents in the future," he said.

Earlier, Indonesian Armed Forces Chief, General Gatot Nurmantyo, had tendered an apology on Wednesday for a shooting incident that took place on Tuesday afternoon, which had resulted in the death of a civilian motorist in Cibinong, West Java.

"As the TNI commander, I apologize for the fatal shooting in which a member of my force was involved. This must not recur," he informed journalists at the State Palace when questioned about the incident in which 40-year-old Marsim alias Japra was killed.

Nurmantyo said he had ordered the military police to conduct an investigation to thoroughly probe this case and to court martial the military personnel involved in the criminal act against the civilian. The investigation process should be open and transparent to the public.

Thus, the people can directly witness the trial process, so that they will know the verdict reached by the panel of judges, he pointed out.

The general also confirmed that the army personnel, who shot dead the civilian in Cibinong, Bogor District, West Java Province, on Tuesday afternoon, would be dismissed from the TNI.

According to local media reports, the suspect, identified as Second Sergeant Yoyok Hadi, had shot Marsim after the motorbike he was riding was said to have scrapped Hadi's car on Mayor Oking Road in front of the Ciriung fuel station.

Source: ANTARA