By Prashanth Parameswaran
Jokowi’s pick is not the kind of change many were expecting.
Late last week, Indonesian president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo proposed that Army chief of staff General Gatot Nurmantyo succeed General Moeldoko as Indonesia’s next military chief.
In so doing, Jokowi has confirmed earlier speculation that he was going to break with tradition in making his nomination for the post. As I pointed out in an earlier piece, since 1999, the Indonesian military chief position has rotated between the Army, Navy and Air Force in a move to reverse the traditionally dominant role of the army (See: “Who Will Be Indonesia’s Next Military Chief?”). If Jokowi had elected to continue on with established practice, he would have replaced Moeldoko, who was from the army, with Air Force chief of staff Marshall Agus Supriatna instead of Nurmantyo who is also an army man.
Assuming Nurmantyo is confirmed by the Indonesian legislature, Indonesia’s top military post would have been held by two army men in succession thanks to Jokowi. Some are already calling this a huge setback for military reform in Indonesia. Nominating another military chief from the army, they argue, is a move that would reassert the army’s overwhelming dominance amongst the Indonesian services, thereby undermining ongoing efforts to better rebalance the responsibilities between them. And to the extent that personnel are in indicator of priority, also seems out of step with Jokowi’s own ‘global maritime fulcrum’ agenda which envisions a greater role for the navy and air force (See: “The Trouble with Indonesia’s Foreign Policy Priorities under Jokowi”).
Read the full story at The Diplomat