Jokowi Leaves Messages To Help The Community To Agus Subiyanto Candidate For TNI Commander

Army Chief of Staff General TNI Agus Subiyanto after attending the National Food Security Movement in Cibitung, Bekasi, Wednesday (1/11/2023). ANTARA/Genta Tenri Mawangi.

BEKASI - Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) General TNI Agus Subiyanto revealed that President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) advised him that the TNI should continue to help improve the welfare of the community.

Agus has just officially served as Army Chief of Staff replacing retired TNI General Dudung Abdurachman. President Jokowi then proposed President Jokowi to the DPR as the sole candidate for TNI Commander, Monday, October 30.

"Yes, we will help the community, improve the welfare of the community, help government programs of course," Agus said when asked about the messages given by President Jokowi to himself as the sole candidate for TNI Commander in Cibitung, Bekasi, West Java, Wednesday, November 1, confiscated by Antara.

However, Agus emphasized that currently he is still focused on carrying out his duties as Army Chief of Staff while following the series of nomination stages as TNI Commander.

"Later, it's not clear. What is clear is that now I am still concentrating on being Kasad, (led by the TNI) in the land dimension," said Agus.

As the Army Chief of Staff, Agus plans to make changes within the Indonesian Army, including revising the doctrine that has been followed by soldiers.

"If in the Army itself I will revise the doctrine because the doctrines we use are still old doctrines, while now our bangli (environmental developments), our doctrine must follow the existing banglastra (development of a strategic environment). Maybe in the past it was different, Banglistra now has war (electronics, ed). It is our reference to change the doctrine," he said.

He assessed that other dimensions, such as the Indonesian Air Force, began to change their doctrines following the growing threats, including starting to use unmanned technologies, such as drones.

"(TNI) I heard that the Air Force has changed its organization, so I said earlier because I am still in the Army, so I will still change the doctrine of the Army first," said Agus, who had served as Deputy Kasad and Commander of the Presidential Security Forces (Paspampres).

President Jokowi through a presidential letter (surpres) to the DPR proposed TNI General Agus Subiyanto as the sole candidate for TNI Commander. The letter was received by the DPR on Monday, October 30.

The next stage after the DPR RI received the presidential decree, Commission I of the DPR RI held an internal meeting, including to determine the schedule for the fit and proper test of the candidate for the TNI Commander proposed by the President.

In the series of fit and proper tests, there is also verification of documents that are the requirements and actual verification, namely a direct review of the home or residence of the candidate for the TNI Commander in Chief.

Regarding the process, General Agus admitted that he was ready to undergo the series of stages. "God willing, God willing, God willing," he said.

TNI Commander Admiral Yudo Margono, who officially serves as TNI Commander in December 2022, will retire at the end of December 1, 2023, or a few days after he is 58 years old.

Article 53 of Law Number 34 concerning the Indonesian National Army regulates TNI officers retiring at the age of 58 years, while non-commissioned and non-commissioned officers at the age of 53 years.