Army set to take top defense ministry posts

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense Mahfud MD acknowledged he has nominated a number of senior military officers for top posts in his restructured office.

Mahfud said here on Saturday he expected military officers, mostly from the Army, to hold seven of the 11 directorate generals in his ministry.

But Mahfud was quick to add that the fact that military officers would take the majority of the crucial posts in his ministry was not the result of intervention by the Indonesian Military (TNI).

"The military has committed to refrain itself from politics. None of the military candidates were proposed by TNI and they welcomed my plan to pick civilians for key posts in the ministry they dominated in the past," Mahfud said.

Among the names he proposed for the top posts were East Java Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sudi Silalahi, Military Academy Governor Maj. Gen. Noor Aman and former TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Sudrajat.

Sudi's nomination, however, fell by the wayside after a group of East Java ulemas urged President Abdurrahman Wahid to keep Sudi in his current post, Mahfud said.

"I suggested that Sudi be transferred to Jakarta and appointed the director general for defense power. However, the ulemas refused to let go of Sudi," Mahfud said.

Mahfud said in the absence of Sudi, Noor Aman would top the list of candidates for the post.

According to the ministry rules, each position must have three candidates.

Mahfud said a directorate general of intelligence affairs would be established, with Sudrajat named the favorite for the post.

"If the President approves, Pak Sudrajat will be assigned to the directorate general."

Sudrajat will compete with Air Rear Marshal Lambert Silooy, the current personnel assistant to the Air Force chief of staff, and Rear Adm. Ferdinand Maningke, a senior officer in the Navy.

There were rumors that the post would be given to the former head of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus), Maj. Gen. Muchdi PR.

Mahfud clarified the rumors, saying Muchdi was one of three nominees for the post of director general of defense industry. The minister said he has recommended that a member of his expert staff, Maj. Gen. Aklani Maza, be appointed to that position.

According to Mahfud, the key posts to be taken up by civilians were the director general of defense planning, the head of the research and development board and the deputy governor of the National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas).

Separately, a reliable source at Indonesian Military Headquarters said Lemhannas governor Lt. Gen. Johny Lumintang had been offered a post in the Ministry of Defense as secretary- general, a post currently held by Lt. Gen. Sugiono.

"Maybe Sugiono will be parked for a while until the headquarters finds another position that fits him," he said. Rumors have circulated that Sugiono will be posted to a neighboring country as an ambassador.

Other possible successors to Sugiono are Maj. Gen. Aklani and the former chief of the marines, Maj. Gen. Suharto.

Contacted separately, Johny said he would obey any decision made by the government.

"The post (of secretary-general) is not what I expected. So I'm not as happy moving as I would be staying in my current position," Johny said.

Air Force chief Air Marshall Hanafie Asnan confirmed that he had met with Mahfud, who asked him to release Air Rear Marshal Lambert from his current post.

"Pak Mahfud said he was going to reshuffle his office and asked me for help. I'm pleased to meet the request in a bid to promote equality among the armed forces," Hanafie told the Post. (02/44)