TNI Commander Says Report in Babinsa Case False

Jakarta (Antara) - Defense Forces Commander General Moeldoko said here on Sunday that report about a village supervisory non-commissioned officer (Babinsa) persuading a citizen to elect certain candidate in the presidential election on July 9 was untrue. "What has been stated by the reporting person has been proven not true. Community members in his neighborhood have even expressed readiness to give a testimony about it. The chief of the Election Supervisory Board (Bawaslu) has phoned me telling he refers the case to the TNI commander to settle it," he said at Halim Perdanakusuma air force base. Moeldoko's statement was contrary to what the army (TNI AD) has said. TNI AD has stated that a Babinsa member has made a mistake with regard to election regulations and because of that he and his superior have been given sanctions. The TNI commander said that the incident was not true and also was not structured or systemic. "The TNI commander has never given any instruction (to any personnel to do it). The case, if it really happened, was only found in one location. If the case did not happen I would defend my Babinsa and state that he had never done negative things. I could assure that my Babinsa members could work well. Babinsa members are human beings and not ghosts and so people need not be afraid of them. They are also not dolls and have a feeling and an instinct and are responsible for carrying out their duty," he said. Moeldoko said Babinsa in carrying out their duty may not conduct any violation. In view of that he appealed to the people to immediately take a picture of them in case they saw them violating the rule. "If no picture is available, hold the man first and find his picture and then report him to his superior," he said. (*)