Guess What? Maj. Gen. Djadja Suparman

Imagine Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Djadja Suparman among a gaggle of journalists jostling for a precious quote.

Hard to envision, perhaps, but true. "I may not look like it, but I was once a journalist," he said last Wednesday.

He claimed he was quite familiar with what goes on in the newsroom after a stint at the Bandung-based Pikiran Rakyat in the 1960s.

Describing the newsroom hierarchy from journalists to chief editors, he said he understood how reports sometimes got changed from the original text.

During a tour of The Jakarta Post, he got a glimpse of cluttered desks. "So this is the workplace of professionals," the 48-year-old commander quipped.

Over the years, Djadja has maintained close ties with the media, particularly after he was installed as the Brawijaya military commander overseeing East Java in August last year.

There, he said, he held discussions each week with media representatives. He replaced housewife heartthrob Sjafrie Syamsuddin as the commander for the capital in July.

After the Post tour, Djadja walked to the neighboring Kompas daily to inspect their operations. (ivy)