Amir Syarifudin becomes ABRI's new spokesman

Amir Syarifudin becomes ABRI's new spokesman

JAKARTA (JP): Brig. Gen. Amir Syarifudin yesterday moved into his new office in the Armed Forces (ABRI) headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, as the military's top spokesman.

Amir, who has spent the last four years in the Trikora Command, which oversees Maluku and Irian Jaya, replaced Maj. Gen. Suwarno Adiwidjojo as chief of ABRI's Information Center.

Suwarno has been promoted to assistant to the ABRI Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid.

Unlike his predecessor, who had some experience in dealing with the media, Amir, 50, admitted that the job as an information officer was new to him.

However, he left a good impression on reporters covering the handover ceremony from Suwarno when he promised to make the military more transparent to the public and to foster close relations with the media.

He announced that it is his intention to make ABRI truly belonging to the people and this meant explaining as clearly as possible about military missions.

Amir called the media partners of ABRI and stressed that he would make himself available to journalists all the time, even outside working hours.

Amir whose previous job was Chief of Staff of the Trikora Command, yesterday talked at length about the military's efforts to secure the safe release of 12 people held hostage by rebels in Irian Jaya since early January.

A 1968 graduate of the National Military Academy, Amir spent nearly half of his military career as instructor at the Army's various colleges and institutions. His territorial experience includes commanding posts in East Kalimantan and in Maluku and Irian Jaya.

Hailing from South Sulawesi, he is married with two children. (rms)