Who will command the Indonesian military?

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The next person to fill the post of military chief has become the latest topic of discussion among senior officers as incumbent Adm. Widodo AS prepares to retire in November.

Army Chief Gen. Endriarto Sutarto and the chairman of the military faction at the House of Representatives, Lt. Gen. Budi Harsono, said that only a four-star general who had a field career should be considered.

Although they refused to go into detail, they were apparently rejecting Lt. Gen. Djamari Chaniago as proposed by legislator Sembiring Meliala from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Peruangan).

"A three-star (lieutenant) general would be too junior for the position," Endriarto said.

Lt. Gen. Djamari is the incumbent military General Affairs chief of staff. Sembiring, a retired major general from House Commission I for defense, foreign and political affairs, also favors Lt. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu, chief of the Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad).

The selection of military chief is a prerogative of the President, who will propose names for approval by the House of Representatives. President Megawati Soekarnoputri has yet to put forward any names.

Names often mentioned as likely candidates are Lt. Gen. Djamari, Gen. Tyasno Sudarto (ex-Kostrad chief), Gen. Fahrul Rozi (former deputy military chief), Gen. Endriarto, Navy chief Indroko Sastrowiryono and Air Force Chief Marshall Hanafi Asnan.

In the past, the military chief came from the Army. President Abdurrahman Wahid broke tradition in 1999 by appointing Adm. Widodo.