A Local Perspective on Military Withrawal from Politics in Indonesia

Indonesia is experiencing another major change in the history of its military politics. The Indonesian military was expanding its political power from 1945 to 1966, seized and dominated much of government from 1966 to 1998, then recently began to withdraw from politics soon after the collapse of the New Order regime at the peak of democratization movements in 1998. To what extent the military has shifted from its previous post- Independence history of deep involvement in politics is a fascinating and important topic to study as its complex development both promises hopes and poses doubts for the future of Indonesia and its democracy. This book is written in the hope of helping to improve our understanding about the topics of military politics in Indonesia. It provides information and a micro analysis on the complex process and impacts of military withdrawal from politics at the local level. - Jonni Mahroza, Chapter One