Gen. Feisal swears in deputies
Gen. Feisal swears in deputies
JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces Chief, Gen. Feisal Tanjung, swore in his two new deputies yesterday. Maj. Gen. Soeyono will oversee the military's security and defense functions, while Maj. Gen. Moch. Ma'ruf will supervise its socio-political role.
Feisal installed Maj. Gen. Soeyono as chief of general affairs to replace Lt. Gen. H.B.L. Mantiri, while Maj. Gen. Moch. Ma'ruf takes the post of chief of socio-political affairs replacing Gen. R. Hartono, who has been appointed as the new Army chief of staff.
Feisal reminded the new chiefs in his speech at the swearing- in ceremony that the Armed Forces (ABRI) has a dual role -- in both defense and in politics.
"The chief of general affairs helps build the military as a security and defense force," he said. "The chief of socio- political affairs helps in strategic planning to turn the military into a socio-political force."
The swearing-in ceremony was held at ABRI's headquarters in Cilangkap in East Jakarta. All the military top brass were present, including the outgoing Army Chief of Staff Gen. Wismoyo Arismunandar, Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Rilo Pambudi and Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Tanto Koeswanto.
Hartono, who was promoted to the rank of full general on Feb. 1, turned up for the first time with four stars on his shoulders. He is due to be installed by President Soeharto, the supreme commander of ABRI, at a ceremony at the State Palace this morning.
Yesterday's change marked the beginning of another round of changes within the military's top leadership, following the retirement of a number of senior officers.
Wismoyo, for example, reached the mandatory retirement age of 55 yesterday and President Soeharto appeared to have decided not to exercise his power to extend the general's tour of duty. Wismoyo was once considered a rising star.
Wismoyo, who is related to the President by marriage, has been elected chairman of the National Sports Committee (KONI).
There have been rumors that Mantiri, who turned 55 last September, will be given an ambassadorial post, as has Lt. Gen. Soeryadi, the current Army deputy chief of staff who is also retiring.
Both Soeyono, who was formerly chief of the Diponegoro Military Command in Central Java, and Ma'ruf, formerly assistant to the ABRI chief of general affairs, are from the Class of 1965 of the National Military Academy in Magelang.
Soeyono, born in Malang, East Java, on March 13, 1943, has received several Satya Lencana medals, for his role in quashing the communist rebellion in 1966 and the East Timor separatist rebellion in the 1970s.
He was President Soeharto's adjutant for five years, between 1986 and 1989.
Soeyono is the son-in-law of State Minister for Women's Affairs Mien Sugandhi. He married her daughter Sribudhi Mintorosari who gave him three children: Siti Amelia Jorjiana (21), Moh. Ari Iman Santoso (18) and Moh. Iman Sidiqi (14).
Ma'ruf, born in Tegal, Central Java, on Sept. 20, 1942, is no stranger to ABRI's political role. He has served as ABRI representatives in the People's Consultative Assembly for two terms, and had a brief stint as assistant to the chief of socio- political affairs.
Although he never held any commanding positions, he served as chief of staff at the Udayana Military Command in Bali in 1989 and then in the Diponegoro Command between 1990 and 1992.
He was governor of the National Military Academy in Magelang in 1992 before he was recalled to ABRI headquarters where he has served since then.
Ma'ruf is married to Raden Roro Susiati with whom he has three daughters: Penny Wahyu Rastianingsih (25), Yani Endah Dwi Setianingsih (23) and Dewi Tri Setianingsih (19). (rms/har)