Shahrir replaces Muchdi as Kopassus commander

JAKARTA (JP): The Army's Special Force (Kopassus) got a new commander yesterday when Maj. Gen. Syahrir M.S. replaced Maj. Gen. Muchdi Purwopranjono as head of the unit in a ceremony led by Army Chief of Staff Subagyo Hadisiswoyo.

The ceremony was held in the Flamboyant Room in the elite unit's headquarters in Cijantung, East Jakarta. Those attending the ceremony were mostly Army officials, including Army Inspector-General Maj. Gen. Nurdin Yusuf.

Muchdi was appointed Kopassus commander in March. He replaced Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto, who was promoted to commander of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad).

Another transfer of duty took place in Bandung, West Java, yesterday when Brig. Gen. Poerwadi was installed as the new chief of the Siliwangi Military Command which oversees West Java.

Poerwadi replaced Maj. Gen. Djamari Chaniago, who was installed as the commander of Kostrad on Saturday. The ceremony for Poerwadi was held at Siliwangi Military Command headquarters and chaired by Deputy Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Sugiono.

Syahrir is a 1971 Akabri graduate, while Muchdi is his senior by one year. It has been reported that Muchdi will soon become ABRI's deputy inspector-general.

Syahrir is not a new face in Kopassus. He spent many years in the elite force before being transferred in 1992. He was formerly Assistant for Personnel, and later Assistant for Operations to the Kopassus' Commander.

Poerwadi was Syahrir's classmate in Akabri.

Other prominent 1971 Akabri graduates are Deputy Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Sugiono, and Maj. Gen. Sang Nyoman Suwisma, who is Chief of the Tanjungpura Regional Military Command which oversees the four Kalimantan provinces.

In his address at both ceremonies, Subagyo said the Kopassus chief and the Commander of the Siliwangi Regional Military Command both played significant roles in the country's military affairs.

"Kopassus has proven its supremacy in various military operations across the country," he said while addressing the ceremony at the Kopassus' headquarters in Cijantung.

"The Siliwangi Regional Military Command, which oversees West Java excluding Bekasi and Tangerang regencies, is significant not only because its area borders Jakarta, but because it guards the State Capital's hinterland," he said in a written speech read by Sugiono in Bandung. (43/imn)