General Nurmantyo Submitted As Candidate For TNI Commander

Solo, Central Java (Antara Bali) - Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Fahri Hamzah said here on Tuesday that President Joko Widodo has submitted the name of army chief of staff General Gatot Nurmantyo as candidate for the next TNI commander.

He said the letter from President Jokowi would be immediately followed up the by House of Representatives (DPR).

"We will take it to the leadership meeting. From there it will later be taken to the Bamus (deliberation body) for a decision," he said.

He said usually Commission I of the DPR would conduct a fit and proper test and it could possibly be done this week.

Fahri said President Jokowi could give confirmation with regard to preventing a problem like the one relating to the appointment of the national police chief recently.

"Jokowi's neutrality must also be clearly shown," he added.

The army spokesman, Brigadier General Wuryanto, meanwhile confirmed the appointment in Jakarta that day saying it had  certainly been made upon through consideration because all possible candidates meet the requirements and also are the best sons of the nation.

"I think the government knows better. All meet the requirements but it is him that he (the president) has chosen," he said.

He said he first heard the news from the media because it was not given directly from the TNI (defense forces) to the army but from the government to the DPR and so "we only accept what has been decided. Therefore we are still monitoring it." (WDY)