Agus Subiyanto Affirms Still Focuses On Carrying Out Army Chief Of Staff's Duties

Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) General TNI Agus Subiyanto/ANTARA/Genta Tenri Mawangi.

General TNI Agus Subiyanto emphasized that he is still focused on carrying out his duties as Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) even though he is nominated as TNI Commander to replace TNI Admiral Yudo Margono.

Agus Subiyanto, who served as Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army (Kasad) on Friday, October 27, was proposed by President Joko Widodo to the DPR as the sole candidate for the TNI Commander.

"Later, it's not clear. What is clear is that I am still concentrating on being Kasad, (led by the TNI) in the land dimension," said Agus Subiyanto as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, November 1.

Agus explained that he 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 it used to be different, banglastra now has war (electronics, ed.). It is our reference to change doctrine, "he said.

The Army Chief of Staff assessed that other dimensions, such as the Indonesian Air Force, had begun to change their doctrines following the growing threats, including starting to use unmanned technologies such as drones.

"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 once served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army (Wakasad) and Commander of the Presidential Security Forces (Danpaspampres).

Meanwhile, regarding the stages of his candidacy as TNI Commander, Agus admitted that he was ready to undergo a series of processes.

"God willing. God willing," he said.

President Joko Widodo through a presidential letter (surpres) to the DPR proposed General TNI Agus Subiyanto as the sole candidate for TNI Commander. The letter was received by the DPR RI on Monday (30/10).

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

In the series of tests, there were also verification of documents that became a requirement, as well as actual verification, namely a direct review of the house / residence of the candidate for the Commander in Chief.

TNI Commander Admiral Yudo Margono, who officially serves as Commander in Chief in December 2022, will retire on December 1, 2023 or a few days after he is 58 years old. Article 53 of Law Number 34 concerning the Indonesian National Army (UU TNI) regulates TNI officers retiring at the age of 58 years, while non-commissioned and non-commissioned officers 53 years old.