Screening of Endriartono open to the public
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The public's assessment of the personality and track record of military chief candidate Gen. Endriartono Sutarto will be answered as the House of Representatives (DPR) decided on Tuesday that the fit and proper test for the general will be opened to members of the public.
Chairman of Commission I for defense affairs Ibrahim Ambong, disclosed that 15 of the 28 legislators attending an internal meeting voted for an open-door session, during which Endriartono, currently the Army's Chief of Staff, would present his views.
The decision apparently satisfied the press and displayed a gesture of good will from legislators on the issue of transparency. A similar session into police chief candidate Dai Bachtiar in November last year was closed to the public and the House became a target of criticism.
Legislators who rejected the initiative to make the assessment open to the public were from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Military/Police, Crescent Star Party (PBB) and People's Sovereign Party (PDU) factions.
Ishak Latuconsina of the military/police faction defended his stance, saying his intention to close public access to the hearing was aimed at preventing public judgment over the performance of Endriartono.
"The authority to pass judgment should be in the hands of the legislators," he said.
The House hearing on Wednesday -- scheduled to be a "fit and proper test" -- is scheduled to commence at 9 a.m. and finish at 1 p.m.
During the session, Endriartono is expected to present his views on the restructuring of the military, human rights and his commitment to the reform movement.
According to Ambong, legislators would have a broad opportunity to question the military chief candidate.
"We have agreed not to bring personal matters to the forum," he said, without elaborating.
He added that after finishing the assessment session, legislators would organize a closed-door meeting to outline final opinion to be brought to a House plenary meeting.
Separately, a group of non-governmental organizations staged a demonstration outside the House compound, questioning the choice of Endriartono.
The activists said the sole candidacy of Endriartono by President Megawati Soekarnoputri had affected regeneration efforts within the military.
Endriartono reached the mandatory retirement age of 55 on April 29, but this has been extended for a further five years.
In a joint statement, the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), the Institute for the Study and Advocacy of the People (Elsam), and the Commission on Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) raised speculation that the nomination was a conspiracy.
According to them, Endriartono was a figure close to the New Order regime.
"In the 1998 political crisis, Endriartono was commander of the presidential guards. It was only normal if his appointment indicated the revival of the New Order regime," said Munarman of YLBHI.
Born in the Central Java town of Purworejo on April 29, 1947 Endriartono graduated from the Military Academy in 1971, and occupied a strategic position at the Indonesian Military (TNI) Headquarters in 1998. He became Army deputy chief on March 8, 2000, before being appointed to his current job on Oct. 9, 2000.