REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- TNI Chief Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto said, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has urged the chiefs of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) and National Police (Polri) to tackle plague that is currently affecting Indonesia's easternmost province of Papua. TNI and Polri have responded to the president's order by setting up a joint task force to curb the ongoing problem.
"In his directives, the head of state also has urged the TNI and Polri to maintain solidarity," Hadi said to the press here, Tuesday, after accompanying President Jokowi who gave directives to hundreds of high-ranking officials of the TNI and Polri.
The task force, to be operational for the entire year, will also deploy specialists using aircraft to remote areas, Tjahjanto, who was accompanied by Indonesian Police Chief General Tito Karnavian, noted.
President Jokowi has lauded TNI and Polri for conducting their duties optimally to secure the general and local elections in the country.
While giving directives during a routine leadership meeting of the TNI and Polri at the TNI Headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, on Tuesday, the head of state congratulated and thanked all personnel of the TNI and Polri for carrying out their tasks well.
Jokowi expressed pride over the nation being able to organize several general elections and regional head elections (pilkada) peacefully and smoothly. "The legislative and presidential elections as well as the elections of district heads and mayors were organized in a peaceful, safe, and orderly manner," he noted.
This demonstrated that the Indonesian public has become more mature in implementing democracy and politics, he emphasized. "It means our people are getting mature, and our community is ready for democracy and mature politics," he added.