Hadi Waluyo named Kostrad commander

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After leaving the post vacant for more than two months, the Indonesian Military (TNI) appointed Lt. Gen. Hadi Waluyo as commander of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) on Monday.

Hadi, currently commander of the Military Education and Training Command (Kodiklat) in Bandung, West Java, was a classmate of former Kostrad commander Lt. Gen. Bibit Waluyo, who retired on Aug. 5, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 55.

The post has been vacant since then and, pending the appointment of a new commander, Kostrad was put directly under Army chief Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu, who was appointed acting TNI chief following the resignation of Gen. Endriartono Sutarto from that post early in October.

According to Col. D.J. Nachrowi of the TNI's information department, the appointment of Hadi and 65 other high- and middle-ranking military officers from the Army, Navy and Air Force was signed by Endriartono, whose retirement and replacement is being discussed in the House of Representatives (DPR).

Hadi will be replaced by Maj. Gen. Kornel Simbolon as Kodiklat commander.

Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Safzen Nurdin, currently commander of the Navy's Education and Training Command (Kodik AL), was appointed as commander of the Marine Corps. His post as commander of Kodik AL will be filled by Commodore Waldi Murad.

"The current reshuffle does not involve regional military commanders," Nachrowi said, without elaborating.

Bibit left his post as Kostrad commander on Aug. 5, without the Army naming a successor. Gen. Ryamizard has been Kostrad chief since then.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono held a private meeting last Friday with Endriartono, during which the President allegedly expressed his deep concern over the post's prolonged vacancy.

Hadi -- who was also a classmate of the incumbent Cabinet Secretary Lt. Gen. (ret) Sudi Silalahi and former Indonesian Military Police chief Maj. Gen. (ret) Sulaiman A.B. -- was posted as Tanjungpura Military commander overseeing Kalimantan province up until 2002.

Kostrad has no less the 29,000 troops, making it the military unit with the most troops. Both former authoritarian leader Soeharto and former presidential candidate Gen. (ret) Wiranto once led the unit.