Legislators differ on candidates for TNI chief

A'an Suryana The Jakarta Post Jakarta

Legislators tacitly urged President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Tuesday to appoint a new Indonesian Military (TNI) chief, but differed on the number of candidates the President should submit to the House of Representatives (DPR) for deliberation.

Golkar legislator Happy Bone Zulkarnaen, a member of House Commission I, said Megawati had to submit more than one candidate to the DPR, while fellow legislator Agus Widjojo, from the military and police faction, said that the President was obliged to submit one name only.

TNI chief Admiral Widodo A.S. has long exceeded the mandatory retirement age and Megawati said earlier that she was looking for the right candidate to replace him.

TNI chief is appointed by the President with the House's approval.

According to Happy, submitting one candidate was tantamount to a fait accompli by the President, as the legislators would have no choice but to choose that person.

"The submission of more than one candidate is necessary in order to respect the checks and balances that exist between the executive and legislative branches," he said during a discussion titled Love and Hate TNI: The course of TNI's Political Role after the Reform Movement.

Speaking in the same discussion, three-star general Agus argued that appointing the TNI chief was the President's prerogative and whether or not she proposed her choice to the DPR, it was wholly her right.

"The DPR should not intervene or force its will on the President," he said.

"One candidate is better as that would rule out possible competition between candidates, which might lead to political infighting," he added.

Separately, Widodo said on Tuesday that the reshuffle of high- ranking TNI officials was still under way.

"I think there is a regeneration going on among the TNI's top positions, and I have reported it to the President," Widodo was quoted by Antara as saying on Tuesday.

Widodo said he met with President Megawati on Monday to report a prospective reshuffle in the military.

The TNI's reshuffle has been a contentious issue since the end of last year. President Megawati originally planned to announce the reshuffle last month, before the House went into recess, but it was postponed without explanation, suggesting a tug-of-war between Megawati and the TNI top brass.