Gen. Ryamizard hands over Army post
Outgoing Army chief Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu (left) jokes with his successor, Lt. Gen. Djoko Santoso, (right) after a handover ceremony at the Army's headquarters in Central Jakarta on Friday. The two brushed aside rumors of intense rivalry between them for the top TNI post.
"With a sincere heart, I must say that I am very happy today that I officially handed over the Army's command baton to Pak Djoko. He is my junior and my former deputy. We've been together since our military academy days.
"If people are curious about the reshuffle, I must stress here that reshuffles are common. There is nothing 'behind the scenes'," Ryamizard said standing beside Djoko.
Ryamizard, whose next job is a non-portfolio post at TNI headquarters, recalled a story about Djoko when the two served as middle-ranking officers, saying that the two had grown up in the field as commanders of Army battalions before winning the top Army post.
"I know his (Djoko's) capabilities as much as I know his character, and I have often wished that someday he would replace me ... And, thanks to God, he has become my successor. I'm happy for him," Ryamizard, a 1974 graduate of the Army Academy (Akabri) said.
Meanwhile, Djoko, a 1975 graduate, described his relationship with Ryamizard as "more than just a junior to a senior."
"Pak Ryamizard and I are just like brothers, but the public may fail to understand this because I am a reserved person. I still remember when we both sat in a bus on our way to military's command school. At that time, Pak Ryamizard told me that if I became his superior, he would support me and follow my commands. I replied that I would do the same thing," Djoko said.
Ryamizard said he hoped that under Djoko's chairmanship, the Army would remain a unified, apolitical institution.
"We have to maintain our neutrality toward the government no matter who is president. We are not living in the New Order era any longer, therefore our minds should be focussed on how we can be more professional soldiers," Ryamizard said. -- JP