General Andika Becomes Candidate For TNI Commander, Mahfud MD: President Chooses According To Actual Challenges And Needs

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD emphasized that President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has firmly chosen Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) General Andika Perkasa as the sole candidate for TNI Commander. He said this election was also adjusted to the current conditions and challenges.

"The President's consideration in choosing Mr. Andika is of course based on the current comprehensive challenges and actual needs. The President's choice has been right and firmly in line," Mahfud said in a written statement, Thursday, November 4.

President Jokowi's decision, he continued, was also not based on opinions from other parties. Mahfud said that Andika's election was in accordance with the prerogative of the head of state.

The former chairman of the Constitutional Court (MK) believes that Andika is capable of becoming the TNI Commander because of his quality and professionalism.

"If the position has reached the Chief of Staff of the Army, Navy and Air Force, he must be the best person in his dimension," said Mahfud.

Not only that, he personally feels suitable to work with Andika while serving as Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs since 2019. Mahfud believes that later the son-in-law of the former Head of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) AM Hendropriyono will also be able to continue the work of Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, who will retire this year.

"For me, as the Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security, who has worked with Pak Andika for two years, it feels right, I just need to continue what we have been doing together with Pak Hadi Tjahjanto," he said.

"Pak Andika is firm but full of smiles and always correct. Same with Pak Hadi Tjahjanto, both of them are professional, humanist soldiers, and are thick with Indonesian culture," added Mahfud.

As previously reported, President Jokowi proposed one name, namely General Andika Perkasa, to replace Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto. After the proposal, the palace, represented by the Minister of State Secretary (Mensesneg) Pratikno, asked the DPR RI to immediately conduct a fit and proper test.

"On behalf of the government, we really hope that the Chairperson of the DPR, the leadership of the DPR, and all members of the DPR can process it immediately and we really hope to get approval as soon as possible," said Pratikno at the DPR building, Wednesday, November 3.

"So that the government can immediately issue a Presidential Decree and the President can immediately inaugurate a new TNI commander," he continued.