Jakarta. The Indonesian Army is set to establish five new Military Regional Commands (Kodam) to enhance combat readiness and support government development programs, an army spokesman said on Wednesday.

A Kodam oversees one or multiple provinces and operates at a higher level than the Military Resort Command (Korem), which covers several regencies and cities. Currently, the Army has 15 Kodams across 38 provinces.

Army spokesman Brigadier General Wahyu Yudhayana said the new regional commands will be established in South Papua, Central Kalimantan, and Central Sulawesi, along with two joint commands covering Riau and Riau Islands and Lampung and Bengkulu in Sumatra.

“The process of establishing these new regional commands is underway and has become a priority for the Army chief of staff,” Wahyu said during a press briefing at Army headquarters in Jakarta.

He explained that expanding the number of regional commands is necessary to improve troop mobilization readiness across the country and help accelerate the implementation of government programs.

Military Involvement in Government Programs
President Prabowo Subianto, a former Army general, has increasingly involved the military in key government initiatives, including the free nutritious meal program for children, expectant mothers, and breastfeeding mothers across all provinces.

During the program’s initial rollout, many Military District Commands (Kodim) helped set up public kitchens to distribute meals to schools.

Armed Forces Commander General Agus Subiyanto announced last year that the military plans to expand to 37 Kodams by the end of 2025, meaning that 22 new regional commands will be established this year.

However, critics argue that an expanded military presence in nearly all provinces raises concerns about potential military intervention in civilian affairs, particularly in local elections. This, they say, could contradict the democratic reforms introduced in 1998, which aimed to reduce military involvement in governance and politics.

Indonesia currently has 15 active Kodams across the country:

1. Kodam Iskandar Muda – Banda Aceh
2. Kodam Bukit Barisan – Medan
3. Kodam Sriwijaya – Palembang
4. Kodam Jaya – Jakarta
5. Kodam Siliwangi – Bandung
6. Kodam Diponegoro – Semarang
7. Kodam Brawijaya – Surabaya
8. Kodam Mulawarman – Balikpapan
9. Kodam Hasanuddin – Makassar
10. Kodam Udayana – Denpasar
11. Kodam Tanjungpura – Pontianak
12. Kodam Pattimura – Ambon
13. Kodam Cenderawasih – Jayapura
14. Kodam Merdeka – Manado
15. Kodam Kasuari – Manokwari