President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), through a presidential letter to the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR), proposed General Agus Subiyanto as the sole candidate for the post of TNI Commander.
"I am ready," he remarked while accompanying Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto in Bogor, West Java, Wednesday.
However, the four-star officer said he had not heard about the fit and proper test schedule, which is one of the stages for becoming a TNI commander.
On the same occasion, he emphasized that he would be loyal to President Jokowi and would be ready to accept any assignment from him.
"I am loyal to my commander and to my president as well. I was stationed at many places, including in Timor-Leste, where I completed my duty in 1999. I have served at Poso as well. I am ready to be placed anywhere," Subiyanto remarked.
If he is later elected as TNI Commander, he aims to increase the soldiers' professionalism.
Earlier, the DPR RI received a presidential decree from President Jokowi regarding the candidacy proposal of General Subiyanto as the next successor of Admiral Margono on October 30.
TNI Commander Admiral Margono, who officially took office as Commander in December 2022, will retire on December 1, 2023, or a few days after he turns 58.
Article 53 of Law Number 34 concerning the Indonesian Defense Forces regulates that TNI officers must retire at the age of 58, while upper non-commissioned officers (Bintara) and lower-ranking non-commissioned officers (Tamtama) must retire at 53 years old.
Subiyanto, who had recently been inaugurated as Army Chief of Staff on October 27, was appointed to replace General Dudung Abdurachman. If he is finally elected as TNI Commander, then Subiyanto's term as Army Chief of Staff will likely be less than a month.
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Translator: Genta Tenri/Galih Pradipta, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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