166 servicemen keep city posts

166 servicemen keep city posts

JAKARTA (JP): Of the 254 members of the Indonesian Military
(TNI) currently holding civilian posts in the city
administration, 166 of them have decided to stay at their
civilian jobs, an official said on Wednesday.

Deputy Governor for Administrative Affairs Abdul Kahfi said
the remaining 88 officers had decided to continue their careers
in the military.

Kahfi explained that of the 166 officers, nine had long since
retired from their military duties and had decided to remain in
their civilian posts.

"I am one of those nine. The remaining 157 who are active
military officers, have decided to join this group of nine,"
Kahfi said.

TNI Commander Gen. Wiranto has ordered all TNI personnel,
including those posted in the city administration offices, to
choose between their civilian and military posts.

Kahfi explained that of the 157 active military officers, 100
are in the process of changing their military status to the
status of civil servant, while the remaining 57 officers will
take early retirement from TNI to hold their civilian posts.

When asked about the recent recommendation made by the Jakarta
Military Command on the return of 104 military officers holding
civilian posts here to their military duties, Kahfi explained
that there was a "mistake" on the part of the administration for
not clarifying the matter further.

"We should have specified to reporters that the 104 were not
only (military) officers holding civilian posts in Jakarta, but
also in Bekasi and Tangerang. The administration should have
clarified this matter," Kahfi said.(ylt)