Moeldoko Affirms There Is No Political Motive In The Replacement Of The TNI Commander

Presidential Chief of Staff, Dr. Moeldoko at the Press Conference, at the Bina Graha building, Jakarta, November 9. (Doc KSP)

JAKARTA - The Presidential Chief of Staff, General TNI (Ret.) Dr. Moeldoko, emphasized that there was no political motive for changing the TNI Commander, Admiral Yudo Margono. He conveyed this when asked for a response by the media crew regarding the opinion of a military observer who assessed that the change of the TNI Commander seemed to be accelerated and indicated that there was a political intention.

"Is there an intention or political interest? There is no Eggak. I make sure it's purely because the time is right like that," said Moeldoko, at the Bina Graha building, Jakarta, November 9.

Furthermore, the 2013-2015 TNI Commander explained about the 'tiring tradition' in the TNI. Where TNI soldiers who will retire will be dismissed from the army service according to their birth date. If there is a change, it can be done at any time as needed.

Moeldoko assessed that there would be no problem if the replacement of the TNI Commander, Admiral Yudo Margono, was carried out in November. Because, in that month Yudo Margono's tenure had also ended. "So this November Pak Yudo could be replaced before or after his birth date, there is no problem," added Moeldoko.

"So there is no tendency whatsoever, Indonesian people should not overimacy because it is a tradition in the TNI that is going well," he added.

When asked about the neutrality of the TNI-Polri, Moeldoko firmly stated that the two institutions had been and were always emphasized to be neutral. He also invited the public to carry out evaluation and control, even criticizing harder if they found the TNI-Polri not neutral in the 2024 election. TNI-Polri are neutral or not, we leave it to the public to control it," he said.

On that occasion, Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko also ensured that the government would continue to run effectively and not least in providing services to the public, even though there were several ministers and officials who participated in the 2024 presidential and election contestation.