National

President to Propose One Candidate for TNI Commander
Saturday, 24 December, 2005 | 08:34 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:President Yudhoyono is to propose one candidate for Commander of Indonesian Military (TNI) to House of Representatives (DPR) following the parliamentary recess.

The President said that he would only propose one candidate to obtain the approval of House of Representatives (DPR).

The plan to replace the TNI Commander was announced by President Yudhoyono following a meeting with DPR Speaker Agung Laksono at the president’s office on Friday (23/12).

The DPR will be back in session on January 16 next year following a recess.

According to Agung Laksono, the President has the right to propose candidates to replace General Endriartono Sutarto.

“Following the approval of the DPR, the President will name the new TNI Commander,” stated Laksono at a press conference together with the president.

Yudhoyono added that it was the president who hade the most interest as regards the timing of the replacement process of the TNI Commander and who was to replace him.

This matter, he said, had also already been discussed intensively between the government and the DPR.

Yudhoyono acknowledged it would be consistent for TNI Commander General Endriartono Sutarto to be given an assignment until the demilitarization process in Aceh was complete.

Sutarto will be assigned until the weapons of the Free Aceh Movement have been handed over and the numbers of TNI troops in Aceh have been adjusted.

Yudhoyono has refused to reveal the name of his candidate for the position of TNI Commander.

“This is of course my authority and I will certainly do the best and for the best purpose,” he stated.

Yudhoyono has also requested that the replacement of the TNI Commander not be politicized and seen from a political perspective.

The replacement of the TNI Commander, he said, should really be in the interests of the organization.

According to Yudhoyono, there are four candidates for the position of TNI Commander.

They are Army Chief of Staff General Djoko Santoso, Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Slamet Soebijanto, Air Force Chief of Staff Air Marshall Djoko Suyanto and former Army Chief of Staff General Ryamizard Ryacudu.
(Dimas Adityo-Tempo News Room)