Navy, Air Force, Police get new chiefs

JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander/Minister of Defense and Security Gen. Wiranto announced yesterday the appointment of new chiefs of the Navy, Air Force and National Police.

Vice Admiral Widodo A.S., currently the Navy's deputy chief of staff, will take over the top slot from Admiral Arief Kushariadi.

Rear Marshal Hanafie Asnan, assistant for logistic affairs to the chief of staff, is the new Air Force chief of staff. He replaces Marshal Sutria Tubagus.

Maj. Gen. Roesmanhadi, aide to the Minister of Defense and Security on public order and security affairs, takes over the job of chief of the National Police from Gen. Dibyo Widodo.

The three men will be installed in a ceremony led by President B.J. Habibie next Monday.

Wiranto described the changes as "routine and a process of regeneration and consolidation within ABRI".

He said Gen. Subagyo Hadisiswoyo will retain his post as chief of staff of the Army, the fourth branch of ABRI, since he had only taken up the post in March, while Dibyo, Sutria and Arief have held their posts since March 1996.

Both Hanafie and Roesmanhadi will receive rank promotions, respectively to vice marshal and lieutenant general, prior to moving to their new jobs.

It is not immediately clear how much influence Habibie had in the latest top appointments within ABRI. His predecessor Soeharto was known to have exercised his power as ABRI supreme commander in selecting the military's senior officers.

Unlike most of their predecessors, none of the three new chiefs served as adjutant to former president Soeharto. A stint at the presidential palace helped many officers in their climb to top ABRI jobs in the past.

The new Navy chief of staff Widodo is a 1968 graduate of the Armed Forces Academy.

Born Aug. 1, 1944 in Boyolali, Central Java, his previous posts include assistant for planning and budget to the chief of staff, Command of the Western Fleet (1995), Chief of Staff of the Western Fleet (1994), Commander of the Security Task Force in the Western Fleet (1993).

He has also commanded various warships, including KRI Abdul Halim Perdanakusuma (1989), KRI Ki Hajar Dewantara (1988) and KRI Monginsidi (1986).

The new Air Force chief of staff, Hanafie, is a 1969 graduate of the Armed Forces Academy.

Born Nov. 7, 1945 in Bangkalan, in Madura, East Java, his previous posts include chief of the Second Operation Command based in Ujungpandang (1996), commander of the Madiun Air Base.

He also led various squadrons at the beginning of his Air Force career.

The new National Police chief, Roesmanhadi, is a 1967 graduate of the Armed Forces Academy.

Born March 5, 1946, in Porong, East Java, his previous posts include deputy for administration to the National Police chief (1996), chief of the East Java Police (1995) and of North Sumatra (1994). He also served as deputy chief of the East Java Police (1993) and in West Kalimantan (1992).

Roesmanhadi served as chief of the East Timor Police in 1991. (prb/emb)