42 Navy officials to retire

JAKARTA (JP): Former Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Tanto Koeswanto and 41 other high-ranking Navy officials will retire next week.

A ceremony will be held at the Navy academy on Tuesday to officially bid farewell to the retiring officers, Antara reported yesterday. Navy Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Arief Kushariadi will preside, according to Navy spokesman Col. Mualimin Santoso.

The other retiring officials include Director General of Sea Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation Rear Admiral Soentoro, Director General of Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture Rear Admiral FX Murdjijo, and Maj. Gen. Aminullah Ibrahim, a legislator of House Commission I which oversees defense and security.

Tanto graduated from the Navy Academy in 1964, and became Navy chief of staff from 1993 to mid-1996 when he was replaced by Arief.

Mualimin said at the ceremony the Navy would also welcome 148 new Navy officers who were among the 932 young officers who graduated last month. President Soeharto inducted the young officers in a ceremony at the Merdeka Palace on Dec. 19.

The top graduates last month were Lucky Avianto from the Military Academy, Daru Cahyo Sumirat from the Navy Academy, Wastum from the Air Force Academy and Johhny Eddison Isir from the Police Academy. (swe)