REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo on Tuesday gave directives to a number of middle and high-ranking military (TNI) and police (Polri) officers. He asked them to maintain neutrality in the current year of politics.

"We also have a commitment that the military and police would support the neutrality of government policy," Air Force Deputy Chief Rear Marshal Wieko Syofyan stated, after the briefing at the Presidential Palace here, on Tuesday.

The president reminded the role of TNI and Polri as law enforcers in the regional head, legislative, and presidential elections.

During the closed door meeting, the president received high-ranking TNI and police officers, accompanied by the Minister of State Secretary Pratikno. A number of middle and high-ranking officers of the TNI-Polri were seen leaving the State Palace though the gate at 11:20 p.m.

In the meantime, Military (TNI) commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto and Police Chief General Tito Karnavian reiterated the neutrality of TNI and police late last month in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, with regard to elections that will soon be held in the country. "TNI and police members have no voting rights. They stand above all groups to assure security and order," Tjahjanto stated.

Tjahjanto, along with Karnavian, at a meeting with thousands of TNI and police members, advised their members to continue cooperation to create solidity or unity, citing the hard work to assure the security of regional elections in June this year and legislative as well as presidential election next year.

Karnavian, on the occasion, praised the unity that has been developed so far between the TNI and the police.

He noted that it was the basic capital needed to preserve security in the province not only for the elections but also for the daily lives of the people.

"We are all serving the nation and the state, and so we must unite," he remarked.

Thousands of soldiers and police officers from across East Kalimantan gathered at the meeting to listen to the directives from their chiefs.

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