Maj. Gen. Djadja donates Rp 100 million to reporters

JAKARTA (JP): The outgoing chief of the Jakarta Military Command, Maj. Gen. Djadja Suparman, donated on Thursday Rp 100 million to reporters covering the activities of the military command.

Djadja suggested the money be used by reporters covering the beat as the initial working capital for the establishment of either a cooperatives unit or a telecommunications kiosk.

"I've fulfilled my promise to provide working capital for reporters," he said during his farewell lunch reception at city military headquarter's Sudirman Hall in Cililitan, East Jakarta.

The command post is scheduled to be handed over on Friday to his successor, former chief of the East Java's Brawijaya military command, Maj. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Subagyo Hadisiswoyo is scheduled to oversee the handover ceremony.

After a term of 17 months, Djadja said during his farewell speech that Ryamizard Ryacudu, his junior at the National Military Academy, was the right person for the position.

"I have earlier handed over my previous posts to him, and tomorrow will be the fourth such time. He is always appointed to replace me. Since I am assigned as the chief the Army's Strategic Reserves Command, it would be a loss to this country if Ryamizard was not to fill my next post," Djadja said.

Djadja is a 1972 graduate of the National Military Academy, while Ryamizard is the 1974 graduate of the same academy.

Djadja and Ryamizard were former chiefs of staff of the Sriwijaya Military Command in South Sumatra as well as former commanders of the Brawijaya Military Command in East Java.

Ryamizard, who is also a son-in-law of former vice president Try Sutrisno, said he would continue his predecessor's steps to safeguard the capital's security. "But I still don't know which measures should be given first priority, because I have not discussed it with the outgoing chief," Ryamizard said after the lunch reception.

Speaking about security conditions in Jakarta, Djadja announced changes in the responsibility for the capital's overall security.

"From now on, security issues will be handled by the police. Previously, the military acted only as the vanguard, but now we are the police's backup," Djadja said, adding that criminal cases involving military officers would still be handled by the military police.

"We have already submitted the case of military officers implicated in drug abuse to the Jakarta military police," Djadja said, referring to the military command's findings of at least five officers who underwent medical tests on Wednesday and tested positive to drugs.

Ryamizard also said that to maintain security in the capital, good cooperation was needed between the police, the military and residents. "You can't blame one party when there is unrest in the capital. It's our task to ensure the city's security," he said. (01)