Endriartono closer to TNI chief post<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto moved a step closer
\nto the Indonesian Military (TNI)'s top post after current TNI
\nchief Adm. Widodo A.S. extended Endriartono's term of service
\nanother five years.<\/p>\n
The extension will allow Sutarto, who will reach the mandatory
\nretirement age of 55 late in April, to serve until 2007.<\/p>\n
Widodo said on Thursday the TNI was still in need of
\nEndriartono's services, but he stopped short of saying if the
\nextension of Endriartono's term of service was related to the
\nrace for the TNI's top post.<\/p>\n
\"It is a common thing to prolong an officer's period of
\nservice as part of the personnel development in the TNI. The main
\nreason is because we still need him (Endriartono) to conduct his
\nduties,\" Widodo said after a Cabinet meeting.<\/p>\n
The prerogative to appoint a TNI chief belongs to the
\npresident as the supreme commander of the armed forces, according
\nto the Constitution. But People's Consultative Assembly decree
\nNo. VII\/2000 on the role of the military and the police
\nstipulates that the nomination and dismissal of the TNI commander
\nis subject to approval from the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
Widodo signed Decree No. 199\/II\/2002 on Feb. 28, which extends
\nEndriartono's career from May 1, 2002, through April 30, 2007.<\/p>\n
Widodo also had his term of service extended before taking up
\nthe TNI top job in 1999.<\/p>\n
A TNI internal regulation stipulates that the TNI chief has
\nthe prerogative to extend an officer's term of service. A full
\ngeneral can be awarded an extension of up to five years, a
\nlieutenant general up to four years, a major general up to three
\nyears, a brigadier general up to two years and a colonel one
\nyear.<\/p>\n
The TNI chief is supposed to give the president prior notice
\nregarding the career planning of a four-star general.<\/p>\n
House legislator Djoko Susilo of the Reform faction said
\nWidodo's decision indicated that Endriartono would be nominated
\nas the new TNI chief, over nearest rival and Army chief of staff
\npredecessor Gen. Tyasno Sudarto.<\/p>\n
Megawati has reportedly ordered that one nominee be selected
\nto be presented to the House.<\/p>\n
Although he did not object to the possible nomination of
\nEndriartono, Djoko questioned if enough thought had gone into the
\ndecision.<\/p>\n
He suggested that the next commander of the military come from
\nthe Air Force, in attempt to uphold fairness among the nation's
\narmed forces.<\/p>\n
The chairman of House Commission I for political and security
\naffairs, Ibrahim Ambong, said he had not received a copy of a
\nletter from President Megawati Soekarnoputri regarding the
\nnomination of the new TNI chief.<\/p>\n
\"If we received such a letter, the nomination would be
\nannounced at a plenary meeting on Monday,\" Ambong told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Sources close to the TNI told the Post that Megawati would
\nforward Endriartono's nomination for TNI chief to the House on
\nMarch 22, the day when Endriartono hands over the Army chief post
\nto the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) chief Lt. Gen.
\nRyamizard Ryacudu.<\/p>\n
Megawati will install the new TNI chief after she returns from
\nan overseas trip on April 5, the sources said.<\/p>\n
But Widodo refused to confirm the change of guard in the Army.<\/p>\n
\"I haven't heard anything about that,\" he said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/endriartono-closer-to-tni-chief-post-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }