Indonesia's armed forces marked their 81st anniversary on Monday with a ceremony at the TNI headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, according to detikNews. President Prabowo Subianto led the event, the outlet reported.
detikNews also reported that two former presidents, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and Joko Widodo, attended the ceremony and were seated next to each other.
In his remarks, Prabowo said smuggling poses a threat to the nation's sovereignty and its survival, according to ANTARA News. He also said the TNI must be present among the people when disasters strike, kontan.co.id reported.
The anniversary was observed beyond the capital as well. Tribrata News Bengkulu reported that the Bengkulu police chief attended a commemoration at Makorem 041/Gamas and presented a tumpeng, a traditional cone of rice, as a symbol of TNI-Polri synergy.
The gathering brought together the sitting president and two of his predecessors at a single national event, with the TNI's leadership role in disaster response and border security among the themes raised.
What to watch next: whether the president's remarks on smuggling translate into new enforcement measures, and how the TNI frames its disaster-response role in the coming year.
