Maj. Gen. Hendro moves back to Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): Former Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Hendropriyono officially moved back to Jakarta yesterday, this time in a civilian outfit.

Hendro, as the one time rising Army star is popularly known, was installed by Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono as Secretary for Development Operations.

Hendro, 51, will occupy an office in the State Secretariat Building and will report to President Soeharto.

His chief responsibility will be assisting the head of state in supervising development programs.

He replaced Maj. Gen. (ret.) Tuk Setyohadi, who will be given a new post in the State Secretariat.

The post brings Hendro closer to the center of power after three years of living in almost obscurity.

He served as chief of the strategic Jakarta Military Command until 1993, when he was sent to Bandung to serve as chief of the Army Training School there.

A 1967 graduate of the Military Academy, Hendro became the youngest ever officer to serve as chief of the Jakarta Military Command. During his tenure in Jakarta, he earned a reputation for being a straight talking officer and established dialogs with some of the government's harshest critics.

Asked how he felt about coming back to Jakarta, Hendro said: "Don't ask me too many questions yet. I didn't even know how to get there today. I got lost twice."

"I'm happy. This is an honor and a challenge for me," he added.

Moerdiono said during the installation ceremony that Hendro fulfilled all the requirements demanded by the office.

The move reflects Indonesia's strategic anticipation of greater public participation in the future as it enters the early stages of the Second Long-Term Development Program, Moerdiono said.

He underlined the growing need for a greater private sector involvement in funding the nation's development program. (01)