593 senior officers opt to leave military

593 senior officers opt to leave military

JAKARTA (JP): A total of 593 middle and high-ranking military
officers, many with strategic positions in the bureaucracy and
current Cabinet, declared on Tuesday their decision to leave the
military.

Their departure was marked in a ceremony led by Minister of
Defense and Security/Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Wiranto
at TNI Headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta.

Also present were Army chief Gen. Subagyo Hadisiswoyo, Navy
chief Admiral Widodo A.S., Air Force chief Marshal Hanafie Asnan,
chief of TNI Territorial Affairs Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono and TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Syamsul Ma'arif.

Lt. Gen. Yunus Yosfiah and Lt. Gen. Tamlicha Ali, respectively
the information minister and the secretary-general of the
Ministry of Mining and Energy, were among the officers leaving
the military.

A further 1,393 officers accepted early pension packages.

Their decisions came in line with the dissolution of the
personnel assignment department in the organization. Military
officers assigned to nonmilitary service now have three options
of either leaving military service, taking early retirement or
returning to military service.

Wiranto said after the ceremony that Attorney General Andi M.
Ghalib, who is a lieutenant general, also chose to leave military
service, but Lt. Gen. A. Hendropriyono, the minister of
transmigration and resettlement of forest nomads, opted for a
return to duty.

Ghalib did not attend the ceremony as he, along with Minister
of Justice and Minister/State Secretary Muladi, is still in
Switzerland.

Wiranto said President B.J. Habibie would decide when
Hendropriyono would return to military service.

He indicated, however, that Hendropriyono would in the
meantime remain in his ministerial position because the President
had no immediate plans to reshuffle his Cabinet.

Hendropriyono has been tipped to succeed Gen. Subagyo.

The TNI chief said officers leaving service were part of a
total of 6,002 servicemen assigned to nonmilitary service, whose
duties included the national, provincial or regency legislatures.

Wiranto insisted that TNI executed 14 substantial changes in
its organization to conform to a reform program. "The dissolution
of the personnel assignment department is one of the 14 changes."

He said others included the separation of the National Police
from the military, the phasing-out of the sociopolitical affairs
department, the military withdrawal from day-to-day practical
politics and the review of military doctrines.

Amendment

Asked to comment on proposed amendments to the 1945
Constitution, Gen. Wiranto insisted the military considered the
Constitution and the Pancasila state ideology held fundamental
values.

"To TNI, the Constitution and Pancasila's basic values
stipulate the nation's way of life, the country's political
system and national unity."

Proreform political parties, student activists and experts
have called for amendments to the Constitution because they
consider its contents are outdated.

Wiranto said the military would not discuss the Constitution
and Pancasila with individuals and third parties fighting for
their own interests.

"TNI will discuss an amendment to the Constitution with
dedicated people and parties committed to complying with the
Constitution and Pancasila and maintaining national unity," he
said. (rms)