REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled on Thursday to install Lt. Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo new army chief of staff replacing Gen. Budiman.

Gatot Nurmantyo is currently chief of the Army Strategic Command (Kostrad).

Armed force chief Gen. Moeldoko dismissed suggestion that the replacement of Budiman was politically motivated.

"It is normal as part of the process of regeneration in the amry leadership. Purely for organizational interest," Moeldoko said here on Wednesday.

"It is a prerogative right of the president but it came so suddenly," Helmy Fauzi of the Commission I of the House of Representatives said.

The presidential decision to replace the army chief came when the political situation was heating up with the Election Commission to announce a new president to lead the country in the next five years.

The Election Commission named Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo president elect on Tuesday night.

A president is not expected to make a strategic decision after the election of a new president.

Budiman became army chief if staff in September 2013 and he would reach the retirement age only on Sept. 25 this year.

"Explanation by President SBY (Susiolo Bambang Yudhoyo) becomes important to prevent polemics and speculation," Helmy said.

He said he appreciated the performance of Budiman during his relatively short time as army chief of staff.

"Budiman has shown himself as a neutral and professional soldier strict in doing his duty in guarding democracy," he added.

Earlier Budiman confirmed an allegation that a number of soldiers had directed people in certain area in Jakarta to vote for one of the candidates contesting the presidential race before the July 9 election. Budiman said the soldiers had been punished.

His statement contradicted an earlier denial of the allegation by the armed forces chief Moeldoko.

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