Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta – Outgoing Air Force Chief of Staff Marshall Chappy Hakim has suggested that the President consider a high ranking Air Force officer as the next commander in chief of the Indonesian Military (TNI), saying that a rotation among the three forces in leading the TNI was in line with the spirit of the existing law on the military.

He said that such a rotation would "promote equality, justice and respect among the three branches of the military." "I believe that the President has his own considerations in selecting an officer for the top TNI post. No matter who becomes TNI's next leader, it must be the President's best decision," the Air Marshall said on Wednesday at a press conference with newly appointed Air Force Chief of Staff Vice Marshall Djoko Soeyanto.

"If he picks an Army officer... that will be good. If he picks the Navy officer... that will be better... [but] it would be best if he picks an officer from the Air Force and put the rotation system into operation."

He made the comments amid reports that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is planning to replace the current TNI Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto in the near future as part of an overall reshuffle within the military. He has recently appointed three new chiefs of staff of the military.

According to Law No. 34/2004 on the military, the President can only pick active senior officers who have held the post of chief of staff to be eligible as TNI commander.

Chappy, as well as former Navy chief Adm. Bernard Kent Sondakh, are not eligible for the top post because they passed retirement age two years ago. Meanwhile, the previous army chief, Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu, could still be promoted into the top post as he has yet to reach retirement age.

The law on the military stipulates that chiefs of staff of the three branches of the military should take turns in leading the TNI, meaning that Djoko Soeyanto should be named, because the last two TNI leaders were from the Army and Navy respectively.

"If the TNI consists of three forces – the Army, the Navy and the Air Force – then the rotation system is unavoidable. And we [the Air Force] are ready to take up the opportunity," Chappy stressed.

Djoko, who sat beside Chappy during the press conference, just smiled and did not comment on his senior's statement. Chappy will hand over the force's command baton to Djoko today in a ceremony at Halim Perdanakusuma Airbase in southern Jakarta.