REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The President has submitted the candidate name of military commander to the Parliament on Tuesday, June 9, for fit and proper test. Name of the Chief of Army Staff (KSAD) General Gatot Nurmantyo is the only candidate for the military commander proffered by President.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla said President Jokowi has determined and decided the appointment of military commanders precisely. "The president would choose the best wisely. All of them (Chief of Staff) are good, but of course there is the best [among them]," said Jusuf Kalla at Sahid Hotel, Jakarta, on Wednesday, June 10.

In Article 13 paragraph 4 of Law Number 34 of 2004 on the TNI, arranged that the commander could be held alternately by the active soldiers of every forces that is being or has served as Chief of Staff.

However, according to Kalla, there was no necessity to rotate for replacement the military commander. Gatot appointment as a candidate for the military commander was considered to be in accordance with the law. "The law only says chief of staff and four-star, that's all," said Kalla.

Furthermore, the decision of candidate’s appointment for the military commander, according to Kalla, has also been discussed together before submitted to the parliament.

According to the Vice President, the appointment of Gatot as a military commander was done based on various considerations, including the commander to consider the candidate’s ability. Moreover, Kalla also explained that the appointment of military commander this time was not part of the reform of TNI body. However, this appointment was based on the candidate’s ability.

"To choose is to seek the best and capable. That's it. If he served as chief in his force, it means he is good. Now it's become the commander, of course, has to be the best person," said Kalla.

He also considered the appointment which not in accordance to rotation was nothing new. In fact, according to him, this has also been done in the era of President SBY. "In the past, the tradition was actually also uncertain, in SBY’s era there were (rotation tradition) but there was also double (force which became commander)," he said.

Further, Kalla asserted, there are still many opportunities for the Air Force Chief of Staff to be appointed as military commander.

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