Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – The Indonesian Military (TNI) has replaced the chiefs of three military commands and of the Army Special Forces (Kopassus) as part of a major reshuffle of its 79 senior officers.

Under the changes announced Thursday, Maj. Gen. Sriyanto, the Siliwangi military commander overseeing West Java and Banten, will become the governor of the Military Academy in the Central Java town of Magelang.

He will be replaced by Maj. Gen. George Toisutta, the current chief of the Cendrawasih military command overseeing Papua and West Irian Jaya.

Maj. Gen. Zamroni, the Udayana Military commander responsible for Bali, West and East Nusa Tenggara, was appointed to take over Toisutta's post. Zamroni was replaced by Maj. Gen. Saiful Rizal, the current commander of Kopassus.

Maj. Gen. Rasyid Qurnuen Aquary, chief of the First Division of the Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad), will replace Saiful. Rasyid's job will be taken over by Brig. Gen. Noer Muis, chief of the staff of the Diponegoro military command overseeing Central Java and Yogyakarta.

TNI commander Chief Air Marshall Djoko Suyanto said the reshuffle was an "ordinary matter".

"The reshuffle is essential to refresh the military organization. There is nothing new about it because it has been done regularly and it is an ordinary thing," he said.

The reshuffle was decided on at a plenary meeting of the military promotion board at TNI Headquarters last Friday.

The shakeup also affected the Navy, where Rear Adm. Waldi Murad, chief of the Eastern Fleet Command, was promoted to deputy to the Navy chief, replacing Vice Adm. I.W.R. Argawa.

Waldi's post will be taken by Rear Adm. Muryono.