Dwifungsi Debate: Senior General to Lead State Food Distribution Agency, Sparking Controversy

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Dwifungsi Debate: Senior General to Lead State Food Distribution Agency, Sparking Controversy

“..signed a cooperation agreement aimed at supporting the procurement of rice and unhusked rice..”

Editor

February 9, 2025

4–6 minutes

Agriculture, Armed Forces, Asia, Bulog, Development, Economics, Economy, Indonesia, Indonesian, National Economy, New Order, News, Orde Baru, Pembangunan, Pertanian, Politics

Senior Serving General to Lead State-Owned Food Distribution Agency, Sparking Controversy

Based on Reporting By Nicholas Ryan Aditya, Novianti Setuningsih, Dani Prabowo and the Kompas Daily Editorial Team

February 10, 2025

JAKARTA—The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the state-owned logistics company, Perum Bulog, have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at supporting the procurement of rice and unhusked rice for 2025. The memorandum of understanding was formalized on Monday, February 10, just days after Major General Novi Helmy Prasetya was officially appointed as President Director of Bulog by Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir.

“Today, we have signed a cooperation agreement between TNI and Bulog to support the procurement of rice and unhusked rice for 2025,” said Major General Hariyanto, Head of TNI’s Information Center, in a statement to Kompas Daily. He added that the collaboration would utilize TNI’s extensive network of warehouses across Indonesia to strengthen national food security.

Under the agreement, TNI’s facilities will serve as storage sites for Bulog’s rice and grain reserves. “TNI always supports policies aimed at supporting national interests, including maintaining food security as part of national resilience,” Hariyanto emphasized.

The agreement follows the appointment of Major General Novi Helmy, a serving military officer, to lead Bulog. The selection has drawn public scrutiny, as Novi Helmy remains an active-duty officer, currently holding the position of Assistant for Territorial Affairs (Aster) to the TNI Commander.

A Military Leader at the Helm of Bulog

Commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces General Agus Subiyanto approved the appointment of Novi Helmy following a request from the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises. According to Hariyanto, the ministry considered Novi Helmy’s military experience and extensive network, reaching down to local village-level officers (Babinsa), as assets that could strengthen national food security programs.

“The appointment of Major General Novi Helmy as President Director of Bulog is part of a strategic collaboration between TNI and BUMN, based on a Memorandum of Understanding previously established between the two institutions,” said Hariyanto.

He further explained that the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises sought an individual with expertise in logistics and strategic planning. “The ministry saw that Major General Novi Helmy has the necessary experience and broad connections that could support the reinforcement of the national food security program,” Hariyanto stated.

The cooperation between TNI and Bulog extends beyond leadership appointments. Hariyanto reiterated that TNI has long been involved in initiatives related to food security, viewing it as a national security priority.

A Career Forged in the Military

Major General Novi Helmy Prasetya was born in Bangkalan, Madura, East Java, on November 10, 1971. A graduate of the Indonesian Military Academy (Akmil) in 1993, he built his career in the infantry corps and became a member of the elite Army Special Forces Command (Kopassus).

His military career includes involvement in various operations, including the East Timor conflict, security operations in Papua, and counterinsurgency efforts in Aceh. Early in his career, he served as a Kopassus company commander and later as an intelligence officer within the special forces unit. He also spent time in the Presidential Security Force (Paspampres), where he rose to become Commander of Group D between 2013 and 2015.

In 2019, he was promoted to the rank of one-star general while serving as Assistant for Personnel at the Joint Regional Defense Command (Kogabwilhan) III. He then held several key positions, including Chief of Staff of the Jakarta Garrison Command, Commander of the 3rd Infantry Division of the Army Strategic Reserve (Kostrad), and Commander of the Iskandar Muda Regional Military Command in Aceh.

His tenure in Aceh saw the implementation of food security programs, particularly a large-scale corn farming initiative aimed at addressing food shortages. “I believe my successor will continue this program because we are facing a food crisis,” Novi Helmy said in March 2024 during his departure ceremony as regional territorial commander.

After assuming his role as Assistant for Territorial Affairs at TNI Headquarters, Novi Helmy continued to be involved in food security programs. In December 2024, he attended a rice seed planting event in Pemalang, Central Java, where he emphasized TNI’s commitment to agricultural initiatives. “TNI is responsive and adaptive in supporting the acceleration of food self-sufficiency,” he said at the time.

Legal Concerns Over the Appointment

Despite his military background and experience in food security, Novi Helmy’s appointment has sparked legal and constitutional concerns. Critics argue that assigning an active-duty military officer to a civilian leadership role in a state-owned enterprise violates Indonesian law.

Feri Amsari, a constitutional law expert from Andalas University, pointed out that the appointment contravenes both the Indonesian Armed Forces Law and the 1945 Constitution. “Placing an active-duty military officer as the head of Bulog is a violation of the Armed Forces Law and the Constitution. The authority of the military is confined to defense and security, not economic affairs,” Amsari told Kompas Daily.

While Indonesian law does not explicitly prohibit military officers from holding civilian positions, it does restrict them to roles related to defense and security. “The law does not forbid TNI personnel from holding civilian positions, but active-duty officers may only take positions directly related to defense and security matters,” Amsari explained.

Novi Helmy himself acknowledged his continued military status following his appointment. “Yes, I am still active [in the military],” he said after attending a meeting with Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman in Jakarta on February 9.

This article is based on https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2025/02/10/22353181/tni-bulog-teken-kerja-sama-dukung-pengadaan-beras-2025-usai-mayjen-novi; https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2025/02/10/17171501/panglima-tni-setujui-mayjen-novi-helmy-jadi-dirut-bulog-bagian-kerja-sama; and https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2025/02/10/16015301/mayjen-novi-helmy-jebolan-kopassus-yang-kini-jadi-dirut-bulog. Featured image credit: Radar Lombok https://radarlombok.co.id/petani-lombok-timur-keluhkan-harga-gabah-anjlok.html.

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One response to “Dwifungsi Debate: Senior General to Lead State Food Distribution Agency, Sparking Controversy”

Defense: The Military’s Growing Role: Is Prabowo Carrying Out an Autogolpe? From Project Multatuli – Stories From Indonesia

August 9, 2025 at 5:35 am

[…] rice, benefiting farmers and protecting them from middlemen. The program appeared highly popular as Bulog had eliminated grain quality requirements, in particular moisture content, and the percentage of […]

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