Who will command the Indonesian military?

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.