The House wants Megawati to name new military chief
The House wants Megawati to name new military chief
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The House of Representatives (DPR) urged President Megawati
Soekarnoputri on Friday to immediately name a new military chief
for the sake of regeneration within the institution.
Ibrahim Ambong, chairman of House of Representatives
Commission I on political, security and foreign affairs, said
that Megawati's reluctance to replace the current military
chiefs, including the Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Adm.
Widodo AS, might affect the institution severely "as many
potential younger generals failed to hold strategic positions."
"Megawati must bear in mind that if she continues to delay
proposing names for the new TNI chief, she hampers regeneration
within the institution as some military chiefs have long passed
their retirement age, while younger generals like (former Army
Chief of Staff) Gen. Tyasno (Sudarto) has to await for a better
position," said Ibrahim, a legislator from the Golkar Party.
As the TNI Council for Promotion and Rank (Wanjakti) started
its session early this week, speculation has rife that the
military would reshuffle its high-ranking officers, to include
the replacement of Widodo.
Four names have been floated as possible candidates to replace
Widodo. Besides Tyasno, other strong candidates are Air Force
chief Marshall Hanafie Asnan, Army Chief of Staff Gen.
Endriartono Sutarto, and the Navy Chief Adm. Indroko
Sastrowiryono.
By law, the president must appoint one of the three chiefs of
staff or former chiefs of staff and must secure the approval of
the House in replacing and appointing the TNI chief.
In November last year, Megawati reportedly informed the House
that she planned to replace Widodo as TNI chief. At the time,
rumors were rife that Lt. Gen. Djamari Chaniago, the TNI chief of
general affairs, appeared to have strong support from Megawati
and her own Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan), which considered that the military needed to be led
by a younger officer.
The speculation, however, ended following "a commitment" of
the three services to support Widodo's leadership for the sake of
TNI's unity.
A source at the Ministry of Defense told The Jakarta Post on
Friday that Megawati had to consider the incumbent three chiefs
of staff, as well as Tyasno, to replace Widodo to avoid
controversy over the reshuffle.
"If Megawati insists on appointing Djamari as TNI chief, she
must replace Endriartono first to pave the way for him (Djamari)
for the position," he said.