Ahmad Pathoni, Jakarta – Indonesia's press welcomed the country's wide-ranging military reshuffle here Tuesday, hailing it as an early victory for efforts to assert civilian control over the armed forces.

One newspaper said the changes might be intended to strengthen power of the President Abdurrahman Wahid and his loyalists in the military.

The English-language Jakarta Post said the decision to make changes at the top of the military's leadership had significant implications for Indonesia, given the army's previous key role in domestic affairs.

The military announced Monday it was replacing 74 key officers and commanders in a massive shake-up. President Wahid is widely believed to have driven the reshuffle, consulting closely with the military about the changes.

In the most significant change, outspoken reformist Major General Agus Wirahadikusumah replaced Lieutenant General Jaja Suparman to hold the key post of commander of the army's strategic reserves command (Kostrad).

Suparman was seen as an ally of former armed forces chief General Wiranto, perceived to be trying to hold on to the military's notorious political role.

Wiranto was suspended as security minister by President Abdurrahman Wahid earlier this month after he was held "morally responsible" by a domestic inquiry for last year's violence in East Timor.

The Post said the reshuffle would help to revamp the military after being politicized under previous governments. "Ultimately the goal of the current round of tours of duty must be to strengthen TNI's professionalism, which because of heavy politicization in the past, is sorely lacking," the Post commented in an editorial.

The Republika daily said the reshuffle would serve as the most important yardstick to measure the level of the military's commitment towards reform. "To what extent the military is responsive to popular demands for it to abandon the political arena and to do away with dominant and hegemonic powers associated with the New Order," will be the yardstick, the Muslim-oriented Republika said.

The New Order is the common term used to describe the 32-year rule of former president Suharto, himself an army general, which ended in 1998.

Rumors of a purge against officers close to Wiranto – dubbed "de-Wiranto-ization" – had been rife in recent days although they have been denied by the military. "The decision to promote Agus Wirahadikusumah – a figure known to be at odds with Wiranto, and who has even openly criticized him – served to justify rumors of a purge in the military," the daily said

But Republika warned of political interests behind the recent changes in the military. "The public will in time learn whether this major reshuffle is for the sake of genuine democracy – or only for short-term political interest resulting from competition in the TNI (military) and the interest of the power holders to strengthen their grip," Republika said.

The Post also warned of possible procrastination tactics by the military's top officers refusing to bow to demand for the military to quit politics. "Unfortunately ... the promise of scaling back has not been matched by the actions and statements of some of its top officers. Such behavior has raised doubts whether the military is genuine in its retreat, or is simply buying time," the Post said.

Armed forces commander Admiral Widodo Adidsucipto last week said the military was ready to relinquish its 38 unelected seats in Indonesia's parliament by 2004 if the houses so decided.

But he warned that a decision to drop them could lead to the military forming its own political parties. "The absence of the TNI members in the parliament will be the end of the military's long journey in politics which will inevitably leave traces that will take time to erase," Republika commented.