Prabowo installed chief of Staff and Command School

Prabowo installed chief of Staff and Command School

JAKARTA (JP): Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto, one of Indonesia's
prominent generals, was installed yesterday as chief of the Armed
Forces Staff and Command School -- his first noncombatant post
after a long series of high-profile active duties.

Prabowo replaced Lt. Gen. Arie J. Kumaat in a simple ceremony
at the Armed Forces (ABRI)'s Cilangkap headquarters in East
Jakarta, presided over by Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto.

The ceremony, which was to be closed to journalists, ended
speculation that the former chief of the Army Strategic Reserves
Command (Kostrad) had rejected the post assigned to him by
Wiranto, who is also the minister of defense.

"(Reports) that I rejected my appointment to the staff and
command school were made up. As a soldier, I have always been
ready to perform all duties ABRI leaders have ordered," he told
reporters after receiving the school's command baton from Arie.

Prabowo, the son of senior economist Soemitro
Djojohadikoesoemo and son-in-law of former president Soeharto,
also dispelled rumors that he had gone into hiding shortly after
the announcement that his position at Kostrad had been given to
Maj. Gen. Johny Lumintang.

The latter held the post for only 18 hours before he too was
replaced, this time by Maj. Gen. Djamari Chaniago. Lumintang's
brief stint as the "caretaker" of Kostrad, which followed days of
political uncertainty before Soeharto's resignation, was effected
without prior announcement.

Prabowo also denied that some 200 troops of the elite Army's
special force (Kopassus) had deserted and formed a wild unit
under him. Prabowo was chief of Kopassus until March 20, 1998.

Rumors had it that the 200 troops were mobilized by Prabowo
from their headquarters in Serang, West Java, to enter the
capital and take control of the city. They were said to have been
transported in five military trucks, and had gone missing along
with Prabowo.

There were also unconfirmed reports that Prabowo had been
involved in a plan to kidnap President B.J. Habibie.

"How could you believe such a fantasy? How could I have
disappeared, I'm now here with you," he said, laughing.

"Those troops that you said were missing over the last few
days, they might have just gone to Fantasy World," he joked, in
reference to the recreation center at Ancol Dreamland in North
Jakarta.

Silly

Some people have questioned the locale for the transfer of
duty, as the post of staff and command school chief was
traditionally handed over in ceremonies in Bandung, West Java.

"A transfer of duty ceremony can be held anywhere in
Indonesia," Wiranto told reporters. "You shouldn't ask such silly
questions."

Wiranto dismissed speculation that a contest of political
interests in the Armed Forces was behind the rapid succession of
transfers of duties, or that he had his own political motives for
Prabowo's transfer.

Until Wednesday evening, there was no official statement on
the site of the ceremony. The only statement indicating that it
would be held in Cilangkap came from the outgoing chief, Arie J.
Kumaat, after he was interviewed by Antara late Wednesday
evening.

Present at the ceremony yesterday were secretary-general of
the defense ministry Lt. Gen. Soeyono, Armed Forces Chief of
General Affairs Lt. Gen. Fachrul Razi, Armed Forces Chief of
Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and
Armed Forces Inspector-General Vice Admiral Soeratmin.

Also present were Chief of the Armed Forces' Intelligence
Agency (BIA) Maj. Gen. Zacky Anwar Makarim and Chief of the
National Military Police Maj. Gen. Syamsu Djalal. (imn)