Novan Iman Santosa, Jakarta – The Indonesian Army will prioritize personnel development to create a large, professional and strong Army while at the same time improving soldiers' welfare, new Army chief of staff Lt. Gen. Agustadi Sasongko Purnomo said Monday.
"Personnel development will be conducted from low-level units up to the top-level units," Agustadi was quoted as saying by Antara news agency. "Army personnel must have high levels of discipline, solidarity, faith and piety to produce a professional Army.
"The development is also part of plans to improve the Army's strength, development and reorganization."
Agustadi was speaking after a ceremony at Army Headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, in which he was installed to replace Gen. Djoko Santoso, who on Friday replaced Air Marshall Djoko Suyanto as chief of the Indonesian Military (TNI).
In his speech inaugurating Agustadi, Suyanto, in one of his last official acts, asked the Army to be serious in conducting its duties and roles with other parties despite its equipment shortages.
"The Army must prove itself as a strong and large professional military institution (that is able) to carry out its duties in defending the country's sovereignty," he said.
Agustadi also said that Army would take a neutral stance at the 2009 general election.
"It is already our commitment as part of the TNI and the Indonesian nation to remain neutral," he said. "We will take action against those who violate this commitment."
Also attending the ceremony were former Army chiefs of staff including former vice president Try Sutrisno, former TNI chief Wiranto, Ryamizard Ryacudu, Endriartono Sutarto, Tyasno Sudarto, Agum Gumelar and Wismoyo Arismunandar.
The ceremony was also attended by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo Adi Sucipto, National Police chief Gen. Sutanto and State Intelligence Agency chief Syamsir Siregar.
The Air Force chief of staff is now Vice Marshall Subandrio who replaced Air Marshall Herman Prayitno on Saturday, while Adm. Slamet Soebijanto was replaced as Navy chief of staff by Adm. Sumardjono on Nov. 12.