Wiranto, Agum, Susilo to leave military service

JAKARTA (JP): Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Gen. Wiranto said he and two other serving military personnel in the Cabinet -- Lt. Gen. Agum Gumelar and Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono -- would soon retire from active duty.

"We, all three of us, will leave the military service immediately because we must be consistent with the military's new ruling regarding assignments in nonmilitary jobs," he said on Friday after a handover ceremony from his predecessor Feisal Tanjung.

Also attending the ceremony were Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono, Minister of Home Affairs Surjadi Soedirdja, Military chief-designate Adm. Widodo A.S. and National Police chief Gen. Roesmanhadi.

One of the main tenets of the Indonesian Military's (TNI) new paradigm, formulated after the resignation of president Soeharto, is that military officials must resign from the service if they wish to assume a civilian post.

Wiranto was previously minister of defense and security.

Agum Gumelar was selected by President Abdurrahman Wahid as minister of transportation, while Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was given the minister of mines and energy post.

Two other former military staff appointed to ministerial posts -- Lt. Gen. Surjadi Soedirdja and Rear Adm. Freddy Numberi -- have long retired from the service.

Surjadi was given the post of minister of home affairs, while Freddy is state minister of administrative reforms.

The only active military man in the Cabinet is Widodo, who will take over on Monday from Wiranto as TNI chief.

When asked when the three active officers would leave the military service, Wiranto said the timing would depend on President Abdurrahman.

"We cannot do it ourselves. The President has to issue a letter stating that we are leaving the military service," he said.

Wiranto denied that the appointment to the Cabinet of military figures was evidence of TNI's ambition to play an active role in domestic politics.

"The President recruited us not because we asked him to, but because we are needed to develop the nation. It is an honor for the military to be given the opportunity to contribute to the nation and the government."

Asked about his priorities in his new coordinating post, Wiranto said he would ask the relevant ministers to help create a conducive political condition so that the government could concentrate on efforts to restore the economy.

In his new capacity, Wiranto oversees the work of the ministries of home affairs, foreign affairs, defense and law and legislation.

Meanwhile Juwono revealed that the United States has asked Indonesia to resume the military training cooperation between the two countries which was frozen as a result of violence in East Timor.

"Last night, United States' Defense Secretary William Cohen phoned me to resume the military cooperation between the two armed forces following the advances of democracy in the country," he said. (rms)