President, House face off on TNI issue

President, House face off on TNI issue

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

House of Representative speakers and President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono met for the first time on Friday amid tension between
the two sides over who should lead the Indonesian Military (TNI).

The dispute over the controversial establishment of House
commission leaders was also top of the agenda in the 30-minute
talks, which was not in Susilo's schedule for the day until the
last minute.

Agung told a post-meeting conference the President had agreed
to accept the House's intention to continue the nomination of
Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu as TNI chief, replacing Gen. Endriartono
Sutarto by former president Megawati Soekarnoputri: an apparent
backdown from his earlier position.

"We informed the President about the establishment of the
commissions in the House, including the appointment of commission
leaders. We also told him some of the leadership posts remained
vacant as we have allocated them to other parties," Agung said,
referring to parties that supported Susilo's presidential bid in
the Sept. 20 election.

Agung said the President wanted the House to begin its duties
as soon as possible.

The House leaders come from parties that have vowed to build a
strong opposition to the president.

Judging from his latest move, Susilo seems to be making
reconciliation with the House a priority following his
inauguration last week.

If Susilo has accepted the establishment of the House
commission leaders it would be a blow to his own People's
Coalition in the House, which has boycotted the commission
election process and filed a no-confidence motion against House
leaders.

Agung said the President was aware of the House's authority to
continue the discussion on TNI change of guard and was likely to
accept Ryamizard's appointment.

State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra, who also attended the
meeting, confirmed the decision.

"President Susilo is likely to appoint the same candidate for
the TNI chief post, so the problem is not so critical," he said.

It remains unclear, however, whether Susilo will withdraw his
letter asking House leaders to suspend talks on TNI chief
succession. In the letter, Susilo said the succession would be
part of his administration's comprehensive reshuffle of the armed
forces leadership.

In the last days of her term, Megawati sent her own letter to
House leaders, approving the resignation bid of Endriartono and
appointing Ryamizard as the acting TNI chief. The House, however,
could not respond as the commission mandated to discuss the
matter did not yet exist.

Agung said on Friday that Endriartono remained the TNI chief
until the House Commission I finished the process of Ryamizard's
appointment soon.

After the meeting with House leaders, Susilo summoned
Endriartono, Ryamizard, Air Force chief Marshall Chappy Hakim,
Navy chief Adm. Bernard Kent Sondakh and National Police chief
Gen. Da'i Bachtiar. There was no official statement on the
substance of the meeting, but Endriartono said TNI official
statement would be announced on Monday.