New Kalimantan military command to be inaugurated in April

The Indonesian Military (TNI) will officially split its Kalimantan military command into two in April at the earliest, an officer says.

Maj. Gen. Tono Suratman, the Tanjungpura military commander overseeing Kalimantan, said Thursday preparations for the establishment of the new military command were 40 percent completed.

“The two military commands will be operational in April at the earliest or July at the latest,” Tono was quoted by Antara.

Following the separation, the existing Tanjungpura military command will be based in Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan, and oversee the province, and Central Kalimantan. The division will also reinstate the Mulawarman military command, which will be based in the East Kalimantan capital of Samarinda and oversee also South Kalimantan.

The Mulawarman military command was dissolved and merged into the Tanjungpura military command in 1984 as part of efficiency-driven military rationalization. The Indonesian Military liquidated eight military commands that year.

Tono said the Mulawarman military command would have at least 2,000 personnel.

TNI is also preparing another military command in Papua, which will be based in Sorong, West Papua.