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Munir, Gatot, Waris strongest candidates to lead Army
Indonesia Military (TNI) Commander Gen
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ndonesia Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Moeldoko said on Tuesday that the TNI headquarters had proposed three candidates to take over as Army chief of staff, after Gen. Budiman was removed from the position on Monday night.
Moeldoko said the candidates included Army Deputy Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Muhammad Munir, Army's Strategic Reserve Commander Lt. Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo and National Resilience Council (Wantannas) secretary-general Lt. Gen. Waris.
'We've submitted the names. The President is slated to confirm the candidate later today," said Moeldoko.
Under Budiman's leadership, the Army was criticized for allegedly failing to remain neutral in the presidential election.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono claimed in June that several active generals had been disloyal to him as the military's supreme commander.
'This is hardly slander, as my sources have confirmed that certain quarters have approached several high-ranking officers in order to get their support for presidential candidates,' he said.
"There has been a suggestion that they [the officers] abandon their President and not listen to him, because he is in 'a sinking ship' [...] It is much better to follow a bright new star,' Yudhoyono.
Speculation is rife that Yudhoyono's ire was directed at Budiman and Moeldoko, who was once tapped as a running mate for presidential candidate Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo. (ren)
