Maj. Gen. Hendropriyono gets civilian posting

BANDUNG (JP): Once an army rising star, Maj. Gen. A.M. Hendropriyono will be given a civilian posting as secretary of Development Operations, Army Chief of Staff Gen. R. Hartono said yesterday.

"That's our plan. The final decision lies with the President," Hartono was quoted by Antara as saying.

Hendropriyono's post as chief of the Army Training School in Bandung was transferred yesterday to Maj. Gen. Achfas Mufti in a ceremony led by Hartono.

Separately, Hartono installed Brig. Gen. Luhut Pangaribuan as the new commandant of the Bandung-based Infantry Weapons Center, replacing Maj. Gen. Rachmad Mokoginta.

Hendropriyono is 51 years old. The mandatory retirement age for military officers is 55.

A 1967 graduate of the Military Academy, Hendro was once regarded as one of the Army's most promising rising stars when he became the youngest-ever chief of a regional military command. He became chief of the Jakarta Regional Military Command at the age of 48 in 1993.

The powerful Development Control Board answers to the President. It is in charge of assisting the President in securing development programs.

Hartono said the armed forces Board for Performance and Career Appraisal had proposed to the President that Hendropriyono be appointed as the agency's secretary.

Hartono is a member of the board.

The Army is undergoing a major reshuffle. Hartono refused to comment when asked if the reshuffle would include replacing his deputy, Lt. Gen. F.X. Sudjasmin.

Hartono described Hendropriyono's performance as chief of the Army Training School as "sufficiently great".

Hendropriyono, who spent 669 days in charge of the school, said he had no idea where he would be posted: "I'm not supposed to talk about my future posting. But I can tell you that I'm ready to be reassigned anywhere."

He said had expanded the army school's curriculum to include lessons on ecology and human rights.

Among those at the ceremony was A.M. Fatwa, a Moslem scholar that Hendropriyono had welcomed when he was released from prison in connection with his involvement in the Tanjung Priok riots in 1984. (17/ste)