Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Former navy chief of staff retired admiral Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno replaced Sultan Hamengku Buwono (HB) X as the chairman of the advisory board of the Nasional Demokrat (Nasdem) mass organization.

"Due to the resignation of Sri Sultan, the general chairman and secretary general of Nasional Demokrat and several members of the advisory board and the board of experts have decided in a consultative meeting to name Tedjo Edhy to replace Sri Sultan," Nasdem`s head of organization and membership affairs Ferry Mursyidan Baldan said here on Friday.

He said Nasdem has also named Sholeh Sholahuddin to replace Sudrajat as chief of the West Java chapter who has also resigned.

Ferry said the Nasional Demokrat has not yet been two years old and so it has certainly not yet met the ideal.

"For us the most important thing is awareness to build the country collectively to make it better," he said.

He said the organization could understand the decision of Sultan Hamengkubuwono whose resignation letter was received by the executive board on Wednesday (July 6).

Regarding Sri Sultan`s statement that the organization would change into a political party, Ferry said the organization would never metamorphose into a political party.

Sultan decided to resign from the organization because he thought it would change into a political party.

Tedjo Edhy, navy chief of staff from 2008-2009 meanwhile said he wished the organization would run in line with its earlier goal.

"The resignation of several leaders from the organization would not stop the fight of the organization. The organization has never shortened its name into Nasdem," he said.
(Uu.H-YH/HAJM/S012)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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