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)