Gus Dur, Wiranto dissatisfied over military reshuffle<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The controversy surrounding the reshuffle of 74
\nIndonesia Military (TNI) officers continued on Wednesday with
\nPresident Abdurrahman Wahid and former military chief Gen.
\nWiranto expressing dissatisfaction over the changes.<\/p>\n
Monday's reshuffle was seen by many as a process of removing
\nloyalists of Wiranto from the top ranks of the military. And
\ncomments on Thursday seemed to indicate that a fair bit of
\npoliticking may have been involved.<\/p>\n
President Abdurrahman Wahid denied suggestions that the
\nreshuffle was his personal doing, but acknowledged that he did
\nask TNI chief Adm. Widodo A.S. to \"look out for\" outspoken
\nWirabuana Military Commander Maj. Gen. Agus Wirahadikusumah.<\/p>\n
But the President said he did not specifically ask that Agus
\nbe put in charge of the Army Strategic Reserves Command
\n(Kostrad), replacing Lt. Gen. Djadja Suparman.<\/p>\n
\"I asked the military commander not to squander Agus'
\n(talent). Place him in Jakarta, he is a good thinker,\"
\nAbdurrahman said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
But at the same time as lauding Agus, the President also
\nseemed to cast a shadow on his military skills as the Kostrad
\ncommander.<\/p>\n
\"I don't know his other abilities apart from being a thinker.
\nWhether or not he can lead Kostrad, that's not my business. It's
\nthe business of the TNI commander and the Army chief,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Agus' appointment to replace Djadja was among the most notable
\nin the military shakeup. Agus is known as one of the progressive
\nthinkers in the military and for sharp critical comments.<\/p>\n
Suspended coordinating minister for political affairs and
\nsecurity Gen. Wiranto took particular exception to Agus' comments
\nabout him and publicly attacked him for his \"indecent\" remarks
\ntoward a more senior ranking officer.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman also expressed his regret on Wednesday that the
\nchief of the presidential security guards, Maj. Gen. Suwandi, was
\nalso removed.<\/p>\n
\"I called him (Suwandi) this morning and told him to be
\npatient,\" he said without elaborating.<\/p>\n
Suwandi is being posted at TNI Headquarters, while Brig. Gen.
\nI Putu Sastra W., the head of the Intelligence Unit at Military
\nStrategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS), will take over the
\npresidential security duties.<\/p>\n
Despite questioning the appointments, Abdurrahman stressed
\nthat this was fully under the authority of the TNI chief.<\/p>\n
\"I have nothing to do with it and frankly I also disagree with
\nthe positioning of some officers in the reshuffle,\" Abdurrahman
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Separately during a hearing at the House of Representatives,
\nformer TNI chief Gen. Wiranto lashed out at speculation that
\nMonday's reshuffle was a recalibration away from Wiranto.<\/p>\n
Wiranto insisted that he never built a group of loyalists
\nwithin the military ranks.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the appointment of Agus as the new Kostrad
\nchief, Wiranto covertly suggested that the two-star general was
\nnot suitable to head the command.<\/p>\n
\"For me (Agus) is a bad bird. But maybe the TNI chief sees
\n(him) as a beautiful songbird,\" Wiranto quipped.<\/p>\n
Wiranto contended that during his tenure as military chief
\nfrom 1997 to October 1999 he only picked the best officers for
\nstrategic positions, including former Kostrad chief Lt. Gen.
\nDjadja Suparman.<\/p>\n
\"I warn you, this country will lose its best sons if the best
\nofficers are replaced,\" he said, citing morality, capability,
\nacceptability and a track record as the basis for his selection.<\/p>\n
Djadja was fuming on Tuesday that he had not been informed by
\nhis direct superior, Army Chief Gen. Tyasno Sudarto, but learned
\nof his removal from news reports.<\/p>\n
Under the new reshuffle, Djadja has been sent to Bandung, West
\nJava, to head TNI's Staff and Command School.<\/p>\n
Tyasno contended on Wednesday that the announcement had
\nadhered to proper procedure.<\/p>\n
He contended that Djadja was not informed because the TNI
\nchief had yet to sign the specific orders. Once that is done the
\nofficers in question will be formally notified of their new
\nassignments.<\/p>\n
He did not explain why it was made public on Monday through
\nthe TNI spokesman in a specially held media briefing.<\/p>\n
Tyasno further defended himself by saying that he was out of
\ntown on Monday and Tuesday and thus could not inform Djadja and
\nthe other officers. (emf\/jun\/prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gus-dur-wiranto-dissatisfied-over-military-reshuffle-1447893297",
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