Mixed responses greet latest TNI reshuffle<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A mixture of praise and regret greeted the
\nlatest reshuffle in the Indonesian Military (TNI) on Monday, with
\nmany believing it to be part of the ongoing reform movement
\nwithin the armed forces.<\/p>\n
Samsu Rizal Panggabean from the Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity observed that those TNI officers promoted to strategic
\nposts were committed to reform and professionalism.<\/p>\n
\"People like Agus may be able to boost the professionalism
\nprocess,\" he said, referring to the chief of the Wirabuana
\nMilitary Command Maj. Gen. Wirahadikusumah, who was appointed
\nchief of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) in place
\nof Lt. Gen. Djadja Suparman.<\/p>\n
Aside from Djadja, Lt. Gen. Suaidi Marasabessy is to
\nrelinquish his post as TNI chief of general affairs to Army
\nDeputy Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Djamari Chaniago.<\/p>\n
Rizal said the major reshuffle would guide TNI to a new era,
\nwhich required the force to safeguard the country in a more
\nprofessional manner.<\/p>\n
\"Gradually the military will withdraw from politics. The
\npromotion of the reformists is an effort to eliminate old
\npolitical habits among military top brass,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Rizal said the TNI's replacement of Djadja was a wise
\ndecision, because Djadja was among those old guns who found it
\ndifficult to respond to the demands of professionalism.<\/p>\n
The observer said TNI was having a hard time keeping the
\ndemocratization process on the right track, warning that the
\nlong-standing practices that gave the military a prominent role
\nin national politics would be difficult to scrap.<\/p>\n
\"TNI could play a decisive role in making the democratization
\nprocess a success in this country.\"<\/p>\n
House of Representatives legislator Yasril Ananta Baharuddin
\nfrom the Golkar Party hailed the substitutions in the TNI, but
\ncalled on the public not to speculate about the matter.<\/p>\n
\"Let the military handle their own internal affairs. We should
\nno longer link every reshuffle with politics,\" said Yasril, who
\nchairs the House of Representatives Commission I for defense,
\nforeign and political affairs.<\/p>\n
He was responding to reports that the reshuffle was aimed at
\nsweeping out TNI figures loyal to their former commander Gen.
\nWiranto, who was suspended as the coordinating minister for
\npolitical affairs and security recently.<\/p>\n
Yasril dismissed the possibility of direct intervention from
\nPresident Abdurrahman Wahid in the reshuffle.<\/p>\n
\"I don't see such a possibility. But if there is an indirect
\nintervention, I don't know. It might happen,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
He viewed the dispute between Wiranto and Agus Wirahadikusumah
\nas a natural difference of opinion although it violated the
\nmilitary's code of conduct.<\/p>\n
Admitting that he had heard \"bad rumors\" about Agus, Yasril
\nasked the public to let Agus, the current Wirabuana\/ Sulawesi
\nMilitary commander, prove himself in his new job.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, chief of the Pattimura Military Command Brig. Gen.
\nMax Tamaela expressed his surprise at the removal of Suaidi, who
\nis a Maluku native.<\/p>\n
\"I was surprised when watching TV that he (Suaidi) got no new
\npost. It's just like a blow to the Maluku people as he is a
\nMaluku asset.\"<\/p>\n
\"Personally I was disappointed that he has no new position,\"
\nTamaela said.<\/p>\n
There have been reports that Tamaela would be removed from his
\npost. \"Maybe my superiors have another consideration now that I
\nstill hold my post.\" he said. (49\/sur\/jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mixed-responses-greet-latest-tni-reshuffle-1447893297",
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