Prabowo replaced as Kostrad chief

JAKARTA (JP): Chief of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto was replaced yesterday by Lt. Gen. Johny Lumintang in a ceremony presided over by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Subagyo Hadisiswoyo.

Army spokesman Brig. Gen. I Dewa Putu Rai confirmed the transfer of duty, which was said to be the first in a series of transfers planned for the military in the near future.

"It is true that Lt. Gen. Johny Lumintang has been installed as the new Kostrad chief to replace Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto," Army spokesman Brig. Gen. I Dewa Putu Rai told The Jakarta Post here yesterday.

Asked about Probowo's next assignment, Putu Rai said he would be assigned as the new chief of the Armed Forces' Staff and Command School in Bandung, West Java.

Putu Rai also confirmed that Commander General of the Army Special Force (Kopassus) Maj. Gen. Muchdi Purwopranjono would be replaced by Maj. Gen. Syahrir M.S., who is currently chief of the Udayana Military Command which oversees Bali, West and East Nusa Tenggara and East Timor.

Putu Rai said the transfer of duty would take place on Monday, but did not say what Muchdi's next assignment would be.

"The decree on his next assignment has yet to be issued," he said.

Prabowo, born in Jakarta on Oct. 17, 1951, is the son of senior economist Sumitro Djojohadikusumo. He is married to Siti Hediati, the second daughter of former president Soeharto.

Born in Manado, North Sulawesi, on June 28, 1947, Lumintang graduated from the Army academy in 1970.

He is former assistant to Chief of General Affairs for the Armed Forces Commander, and recently headed the Cendrawasih Military Command, which oversees Maluku and Irian Jaya. (rms/imn)