Ministers told to quit military

JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives' Commission I on Defense, Security, Information and Foreign and Legal affairs urged President Abdurrahman Wahid on Tuesday to order four ministers to give up their military careers.

"We want President Abdurrahman to confirm the retirement of the Cabinet ministers from the military this week," the commission's chairman Yasril Ananta Burhanuddin said in a year- end statement to the House.

The four ministers are Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Gen. Wiranto, Minister of Mines and Energy Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Minister of Transportation Lt. Gen. Agum Gumelar and State Minister of Administrative Reforms Vice Admiral Freddy Numberi.

Yasril said the statement followed a proposal by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto to Abdurrahman that Army top brass should retire. Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Admiral Widodo Adisucipto has approved the proposal.

"So the President has just to sign the proposal," he said.

The commission also called on the ministers to voluntarily ask the President for early retirement.

"They should choose whether they want to work as Cabinet ministers or return to military headquarters," Yasril said.

He said the minister's retirement from military services was in-line with the TNI's internal reform, which requires a serviceman who assumes a civilian job to withdraw from the force. The policy was introduced by Wiranto, then TNI's commander, earlier this year.

A number of active military officers choose to retire after being elected governors or regents. They include the governors of Jakarta (Sutiyoso), Central Java (Mardiyanto) and East Java (Imam Utomo).

Wiranto is still three years away from the retirement age of 55. Bambang, once dubbed a rising star, is 50, Freddy is 53 while Agum turned 54 earlier this month. (jun)