The TNI`s High Ranks and Posts Council had yet to decide who would replace General Toisutta who is due to enter retirement soon, Sitompul said on Thursday.
"Three nominees for the post are still being discussed," he said.
One of the three nominees is Lt Gen Pramono Edhie Wibowo who is currently commander of the Army`s Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad).
Pramono is widely tipped as the strongest candidate to replace Toisutta. The younger brother of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono`s wife is considered competent to occupy the post.
Pramono was adjutant to former president Megawati Soekarnoputri and commandant general of the special elite force Kopassus from 2008 to 2009. He was later appointed to chief of the Siliwangi regional military command in 2009 and commander of the Army`s Strategic Reserves Command in 2010.
The other nominees are Lt Gen Budiman and Lt Gen Marciano Norman.
Budiman started his career in the TNI on December 1, 1978. Born in Jakarta on September 25, 1956, he has occupied a number of important and strategic posts including commander of combat engineering battalion 10 of the Army`s Strategic Reserves Command, chief of the Siliwangi regional military command and expert staff to the TNI chief for national political and security affairs.
He was also commander of the Diponegoro regional military command and presidential military secretary.
Meanwhile, Marciano Norman is currently commander of the TNI`s Education and Training Command (Kodiklat) in Bandung.
Born in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, on October 28, 1954, Marciano was also director of strategic environment analysis at the Defense Ministry and commander of presidential security force (Paspampres). In 2010 he was appointed as chief of the Jakarta regional military command.
Commenting on the three nominees, Iskandar said : "The three are all three-star generals and have a chance of occupying the post of Army chief of staff.(*)
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Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
