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n executive of the Indonesian Democratic of Struggle (PDI-P) has defended the decision of president-elect Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo to appoint Brig. Gen. Andika Perkasa as commander of the Presidential Security Detail (Paspampres) amid speculation that his promotion was politically connected.

Andika, who currently serves as the Indonesian Army spokesman, is married to the eldest daughter of former National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief AM Hendropriyono, a confidant of PDI-P chair Megawati Soekarnoputri and an advisor to Jokowi'€™s transition team.

Puan Maharani, a PDI-P top official and Megawati'€™s daughter, shrugged off speculation that Andika'€™s appointment was based on Hendropriyono'€™s close ties with the party and Jokowi.

'€œWe should not judge from his [family] background, we must look at his track record,'€ she told reporters at the House of Representatives complex on Thursday.

Puan said that Andika would show his professionalism when he took the job.

'€œThe main issue here is that he can work professionally and guarantee the safety of the new president and vice president,'€ Puan said.

Andika, a 1987 graduate of the Military Academy, is known for his stellar military career and impressive academic achievements.

He served in the Army'€™s Special Forces (Kopassus) before taking the leadership position at the Jakarta '€œJaya'€ Regiment Military Area (Rindam) in 2011 and North Sumatra'€™s Sibolga military command in the following year.

He is the best graduate of the Army Staff and Command School (Seskoad) Class of 2000 and has earned several degrees from top US universities, including a PhD from George Washington University.

TNI commander Gen. Moeldoko on Thursday confirmed that Andika was handpicked by Jokowi.

'€œI asked him [Jokowi] whether he had prepared a candidate. He answered '€˜Mr. Commander, I have chosen Brig. Gen. Andika as Paspampres chief'€™,'€ he said on the sidelines of a joint drill for the presidential inauguration at Senayan, Jakarta.

Moeldoko also confirmed that with the promotion, Andika would be the first from the Class of 1987 to hold a two-star Major General ranking.

'€œIt is normal,'€ the general said in response to a journalist'€™s question on whether Andika'€™s promotion was too soon.

M. Choirul Anam, the deputy director of the Human Rights Working Group (HRWG) Indonesia, suggested that Andika'€™s appointment could reflect the strong influence of Hendropriyono, who is known for his sketchy human rights record, in Jokowi'€™s inner circle.

'€œThe appointment is clearly a political deal with Hendropriyono. He was involved in the murder of human rights campaigner Munir [in 2004], the Talangsari killings [in 1989] and several other cases,'€ said Choirul, who is also the executive secretary of the Solidarity Alliance for Munir.

'€œThe appointment gives the wrong impression that Jokowi is close to a perpetrator of human rights violations,'€ he added.

A military expert from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Hermawan Sulistyo, praised Jokowi'€™s decision and suggested that Andika would remain loyal to the president-elect.

'€œThe fact that Andika'€™s father-in-law, Gen. (ret.) Hendropriyono, is his security advisor could confirm Andika'€™s loyalty, which is an important issue for the incoming president,'€ Hermawan said on Thursday.

Besides, he added, Andika being named as the new chief of the presidential guard could be a good trade-off for the possible dropping of Hendropriyono from Jokowi'€™s Cabinet line-up.

He said Andika shared many of the qualities of his predecessor, Maj. Gen. Doni Monardo, who had been appointed as the new commander of Kopassus.

'€œJust like Doni, Andika is known as one of the most promising Army officials. He takes education seriously and has the ability to mix well with others. So far I have never heard anything bad about him,'€ he said.