Indonesian air chief to replace General Gatot Nurmantyo as head of armed forces
Nurmantyo has been accused of whipping up nationalist sentiment by promoting the notion that Indonesia is besieged by ‘proxy wars’ waged by foreign states
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has nominated the chief of staff of the air force to be the new head the armed forces (TNI), to replace a controversial general who is due to retire in April.
Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto has close ties to the president and was previously in charge of an airbase in the city of Solo, on the island of Java, when Widodo was its mayor.
Since then, Tjahjanto has been promoted a number of times including to inspector general of the defence ministry and the president’s military secretary.
“Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto is considered capable and qualified to become TNI commander,” presidential spokesman Johan Budi told reporters on Monday after confirming the nomination.
The proposal had been sent to the parliament, which needs to approve it, he said.
Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto is considered capable and qualified to become TNI commander
Abdul Kharis Almasyhari, chairman of a parliamentary commission with oversight of defence and security, said the commission would do a “fit and proper” assessment of the nomination, which hopefully could be completed by a December 14 recess.