Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – It has been more than a year since President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono took office. Active though he has been as a president, he remains suspiciously lethargic in appointing a four-star general to take over the reins of the Indonesian Military (TNI).

This despite his initial promise to replace serving TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto within a few months.

It remains unclear whether Susilo's promise – which was made only days after the General Elections Commission declared him the winner of the 2004 presidential election – was forced from him by a situation in which lawmakers agreed to endorse Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu as the new TNI chief, as requested by president Megawati Soekarnoputri in the last few weeks of her presidency.

Susilo revoked Ryamizard's nomination immediately after his election and eventually replaced all three of military chiefs of staff, including Ryamizard, who was at the time the Army chief. This move gave Susilo the luxury of having more candidates to select from for the TNI's top post.

According to Law No. 34/2004 on the military, only active or former officers who have held a chief of staff post are eligible to become TNI commander. Besides Ryamizard, there are three other officers eligible for the position: Navy chief Adm. Slamet Subianto, Air Force chief Marshall Djoko Suyanto and Army chief Gen. Djoko Santoso.

The President's decision is even more complicated as the TNI Headquarters struggles to adjust to the new retirement age stipulated in the Military Law. Previously, a soldier who reached the retirement age of 55 could have his or her term of service extended for any period deemed necessary by the president. The 2004 Military Law, however, does not allow officers to serve in the military beyond the age of 58.

TNI Headquarters is still adjusting to this change. Active duty soldiers who had reached the age of 54 when the new law took effect will now retire at 56. While those who were 53, will retire at the age of 57.

There was one caveat: Soldiers who were 54 when the law was passed will be required to retire at the age of 55 if within six months they are not placed in a strategic post.

Rumors over a high-level TNI reshuffle continue, and the president himself has said that he will focus on the "TNI's regeneration process" later this month.

Ryamizard is the most senior officer among other strong candidates for the TNI's top post. He was 54 when the Military Law was endorsed in September, 2004. Based on the "adjustments", he will reach his mandatory retirement age in April, 2006 when he turns 56.

Since he has been placed in a nonportfolio job for over 10 months following his replacement as Army chief in February, 2005, it is "technically" possible that he may be required to retire early.

There has been much speculation on why Ryamizard – the son-in-law of former vice president Try Sutrisno – has been left idling in a nonstrategic post for so long.

Some have suggested Ryamizard's close relationship with Megawati is the reason he has been removed from strategic responsibilities. Many have said that Ryamizard – who is politically controversial due to his tough dealings with separatist movements in Aceh, Papua and Maluku – is not a favorite to lead the TNI in an administration that has opted for diplomacy over military tactics.

But Ryamizard's initiative in Aceh after the Dec. 26, 2004, tsunami could have been "the final straw" that killed all chance of his taking over as TNI chief. Susilo ordered Ryamizard to stay in Aceh for an "indefinite time" after the tsunami destroyed nearly one-third of the province.

Ryamizard then reportedly initiated an ambitious project, mobilizing thousands of troops to construct a new road connecting the provincial capital of Banda Aceh and the town of Meulaboh. The project seemed well intended and access to Meulaboh and the surrounding areas could have helped many tsunami survivors cut off from the rest of the province.

But there were differences among the TNI leadership, with quite a few officers refusing to use combat troops for the road construction project. TNI chief Endriartono said at the time the project should have been given to Acehnese to "provide them with jobs".

There is also the issue of rotation among the Army, Navy and Air Force as to who holds the TNI's top post. If the system of rotation was followed, it would be the turn for the Air Force to hold the top job at the TNI.

For the real political battle, however, Susilo's Democratic Party only won 52 of the 550 seats at the House of Representatives – which could force the President to seek political support from outside the legislature.

Being a retired four-star Army general himself, Susilo may be more naturally empathetic toward the Army. Appointing an Army officer to the top TNI job may also be the most rational political choice given the Army's sociopolitical network, which reaches down to the village level.

The Military Law itself stresses the importance of civilian supremacy over the military, and puts much greater responsibility into the hands of a civilian defense minister, with the TNI chief only dealing with "paperwork". This should not then create a psychological problem within the ranks as to who is TNI chief.

But the stark reality of everyday politics remains somewhat different. This is the reality and the compromises the President must face.

[The writer is a journalist at The Jakarta Post.]