Academy's 1973 grads stay neutral

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Fri, 08/24/2007 1:30 PM

JAKARTA: The Association of 1973 Graduates of the Military Academy, known as Paguyuban Cadaka Dharma, will remain neutral in observing the planned replacement of ailing Home Minister M. Ma'ruf, said association chairman Lt. Gen. Cornel Simbolon on Thursday.

""We'll respect whatever the President's decision is ... We'll not try to influence his decision,"" Simbolon told reporters as quoted by detik.com news portal.

He said that should the President, who is also a 1973 graduate of the academy, need input on certain candidates with military backgrounds, he could ask for the information from the Army chief.

Speaking about the likely nomination of another 1973 academy graduate, Lt. Gen. M. Yasin, as a candidate for the ministerial post, Simbolon said it should have been considered as input from individual association members, not from the association as a whole.

""M. Yasin has never asked for official support from the association, either,"" he added.

Besides Yasin, three retired generals -- Sutiyoso, Mardiyanto and E.E. Mangindaan -- who graduated in 1968 and 1970 from the academy, have also been tipped as candidates for the post. -- JP

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