Candidate for Army commander

Candidate for Army commander

It is interesting to observe the reassignments happening
within the Indonesian Military (TNI), in particular the Army. For
the past year the Army has been suspected of committing big
mistakes during the New Order regime. General Tyasno Sudarto has
served less than one year as Army chief of staff but he is
rumored to be reassigned to a higher post. It is not yet clear
who the candidates will be for the position of Army chief of
staff. I think, however, that if a high officer with a good track
record is required there would be no problems.

Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, now the mines and energy
minister, is a figure that is eligible for the job. His
conscience tells him to remain in the Military, but he is loyal
to the President so he accepted the post of minister, a position
he might not have wanted. The concept of the new paradigm of the
military is the result of the great work contributed by the
military so that the Armed Forces changed themselves by
separating the National Police from the Armed Forces.

There was also the military's commitment of neutrality toward
the political parties in the 1999 general election. As head of
sociopolitical affairs of TNI, later the military's territorial
chief of staff, he was involved with internal reform in the
military.

It is the pride of an Army soldier to be the chief of staff.
This also applies to the Air Force and Navy. But the honor has
not yet been given to Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. It is only
fitting if the job of Army chief of staff is assigned to him in
consideration of his past achievements. This job is certainly not
lower than that of a minister in consideration of its wider
impact, i.e. the improvement of the condition of the Army to go
back to its true identity. The job must be filled by the right
person. It would be regrettable if Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, an
asset to the Army, went on early retirement as a result of a
civilian job. As far as I can remember, he was a graduate of the
Military Academy in 1973, and was the best until now without
having excessive ambition.

JIWANDONO

Jakarta