SBY to have final say on TNI chief

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The saga over the replacement of the Indonesian Military (TNI) chief is apparently nearing its concluding stages, as a plenary meeting of the House of Representatives has agreed to give the final say on the issue to the President.

The plenary meeting, attended by all House factions, agreed that the recommendation -- which was drawn up by Commission I on defense -- be submitted to the House's Consultative Body for finalization.

"Because the House failed to give its endorsement within the given time, we recommended that the House give the President the authority to name the new TNI chief from the available candidates," Commission I chairman Theo L. Sambuaga told the plenary meeting.

The recommendation, however, would have to be deliberated further at the House's consultative body for follow-up.

The consultative body would then decide if the recommendation should be relayed to the President for implementation. However, if the consultative body opted to bring the recommendation to another plenary meeting, it would very likely win approval after a vote.

Army chief Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu, who had been named by former president Megawati Soekarnoputri to replace TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, who resigned from his post, failed to turn up at a selection hearing because of a restraint order from the President.

The law regulating the TNI stipulates that the appointment and removal of the TNI chief requires the approval of the House.

The House's decision was reached, however, without the scuffles that have become a regular feature of the legislature.

Members of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party faction at first did not want the plenary meeting to discuss the recommendation produced by Commission I, saying that they were never asked to participate in its deliberation.

Members of Nationhood Coalition responded by saying that all factions had taken part in the deliberation. "The House secretariat general always invites all members to all meetings, so it's up to them if they choose not to show up," Permadi of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said.

The squabble brought the plenary meeting to a halt but resumed an hour later.