H

ome Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said on Thursday that graduates of the state-run Institute of Public Administration (IPDN) would be required to take part in the government’s Bela Negara (State Defense) program.

Tjahjo said each graduate would be conscripted for eight months to obtain the skills necessary to defend the country from possible outside threats.

“At the very least, the students can later fill an empty military district head position,” Tjahjo said. The program was proposed to educate all citizens about the country’s state ideology of Pancasila.

“So do not think [the Bela Negara program means] the military will come to schools, pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) or even to the media,” Tjahjo said, emphasizing that the program was not an effort to revive military domination over civilian life.