Retired officers told to prioritize national interests

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto told retired military officers on Wednesday to prioritize national interests over personal or group interests.

He also urged retired servicemen to pursue their political ambitions through constitutional means and to take into account ethics and morality in advancing their political goals.

"As the military chief, I can only appeal to retired military officers, who are former soldiers, to put national interests above personal ambition just like when they were still active in the military service," Endriartono said at the Cilangkap TNI Headquarters in East Jakarta.

Endriartono did not mention any name, but his appeal came after reports surfaced that former TNI chief Gen. (retired) Wiranto planned to topple President Megawati Soekarnoputri by funding antigovernment protests by students and trade unions.

Besides Wiranto, the government was reportedly looking at other actors behind the street rallies. They are believed to be former minister of finance and National Mandate Party (PAN) lawmaker Fuad Bawazier, former cooperative minister and incumbent chairman of the Association of Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals (ICMI) Adi Sasono and former executive of Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) Eros Djarot.

Their names came to surface after National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief A.M. Hendropriyono reportedly singled them out during a Cabinet meeting on Monday.

Eros and Adi Sasono have denied the allegation.

Saying that TNI Headquarters no longer had authority over retired officers, Endriartono declined to comment on Wiranto's alleged involvement in plans to oust Megawati, saying: "I have no right to tell the public whether I have any knowledge of it.

"There is no longer any command relations between us. We only have emotional ties now," he said.

Endriartono also asked protesters to avoid disorder in expressing their aspirations or "face stern action in line with prevailing laws".