Setara Institute Criticizes Appointment of Major General Novi Helmy as Bulog CEO

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta -  criticized the appointment of Major General Novi Helmy Prasetya as President Director of Perum Bulog. Setara Institute Executive Director Halili Hasan said the appointment had violated Article 47 paragraphs 1 and 2 of Law Number 34 of 2004 concerning the TNI. This is because Major General Novi Helmy still has the status of an active military soldier.

"The government's insistence on placing the military in civilian positions even though it violates the provisions of the TNI Law increasingly shows the absence of a vision for TNI reform at the beginning of Prabowo Subianto's administration," said Halili in a written statement, Monday, February 10, 2025.

He strongly criticized the placement of active TNI members in state-owned companies. Halili said the appointment of Major General Novi Helmy as President Director of Bulog showed that the government had not evaluated public criticism.

"In fact, this problem is a form of repetition or continuation of the previous leadership era," he said.

Halili also considered President Prabowo to have failed to improve the condition of military reform regression. According to him, the dream of realizing military reform regression is still just an imagination until now.

Meanwhile, military observer from the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS) Khairul Fahmi also assessed the same thing. He said that in the TNI Law, active military personnel are prohibited from holding civilian positions.

He said that the main task of a military person is as a national defense tool that aims to maintain sovereignty, territorial integrity, and protect national interests from external threats. Fahmi said that Bulog's role is not directly related to defense duties.

"The government seems to consider that Bulog has a strategic role in maintaining food security," he said when contacted via a messaging application, Monday.

According to him, the appointment of active soldiers as the boss of a company that plays a role in maintaining food security is related to government priorities. Meanwhile, President Prabowo's government prioritizes the food security sector. For example, when soldiers are involved in the Free Nutritious Meal program.

"The placement of in several (priority) programs seems to be directed at integrating the needs of strategic aspects with the basic needs of the community," he said.

Novali Panji Nugroho contributed to the creation of this article.

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