Tiarma Siboro and Tony Hotland, Jakarta – Reorganizing the military and reviewing the Army-focused national defense concept will be the main tasks for the new military chief, analysts said on Wednesday.
Military analyst and sociologist Daniel Sparringa said reorganization of the armed forces should be the focus of the second phase of the military's internal reform under Djoko Suyanto, a four-star Air Force marshal nominated to lead the Indonesian Military (TNI).
"The first stage of military internal reform, which includes a total review of the military's old paradigm has been completed," he said of the long-held concept that the military was an all-encompassing safeguarder in society.
"Now as it is entering the second stage of internal reform, reorganization of the institution is a must to enable the military to maximize the allocation of its limited budget for defense purposes."
A researcher from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), J. Kristiadi, said the concept of a professional military focuses on the creation of a modern military to guard the state, which should no longer involve "guerrilla warfare". The concept is still part of the doctrine of the TNI.
"This will be a hard task for the government, and for Djoko as well, to deal with," Kristiadi acknowledged, adding that the Navy and Air Force, both smaller and less influential than the Army, must also hold key roles in creating a professional, modern military.
Another task for Djoko will be shaping a new concept on the military reorganization, Kristiadi said. "The main function of the military is not like that of the local administration, which provides a public service to their people. But the current military structure is still parallel with that of the local administration, as its network ranges from the provincial level down to the village level," Kristiadi said, refering to the territorial command structure.
The structure, which supports the military's social and political roles, has been blamed for abuses of power and human rights violations. Following the formal end of the New Order in 1998, the military pledged that the structure would be dismantled, but it remains.
In a bid to avoid politicking on the appointment, Kristiadi agreed with suggestions from current military chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto that lawmakers should simply give their approval of the nomination when it comes before them.
"The appointment of the TNI commander is the President's prerogative. Unless the lawmakers believe the candidate has a questionable track record, he should not be involved in a fit-and-proper test."
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono submitted a letter to the legislature Sunday night for Djoko's nomination as the lone candidate to take over the military leadership from Gen. Endriartono.
Although Djoko enjoys support in the House, politicians from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) have vowed to sit out the confirmation hearing. PDI-P argued they would support Army chief of staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu as the commander.
House Speaker Agung Laksono was scheduled to announce Djoko's nomination in a plenary meeting on Tuesday, but the lawmakers were instead involved in voting on the government's policy on rice imports.
Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono also said "considerations" by the House would be more appropriate rather than "involving political powers" in the appointment of the TNI chief.