President Joko Widodo has inaugurated Adm. Yudo Margono as the commander of the Indonesian Military (TNI). The handover ceremony from Gen. Andika is scheduled for today.
President Joko Widodo handed over the baton to Admiral Yudo Margono as Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, Monday (19/12/2022) at the State Palace in Jakarta..
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — After being inaugurated as commander of the TNI on Monday (19/12/2022), Adm. Yudo Margono has a number of crucial tasks in his term, which will not be too long because he will retire in November 2023. In addition to maintaining the nation's sovereignty, Adm. Yudo is also expected to be able to maintain the neutrality of the TNI in the middle of the political year ahead of the 2024 general elections.
The inauguration of Adm. Yudo as TNI commander by President Jokowi took place at the State Palace in Jakarta. President Jokowi delivered several messages to TNI commander Adm. Yudo Margono. The President asked the TNI commander to maintain the sovereignty of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia and maintain unity and integrity.
With regard to the holding of the 2024 general elections, the President asked the TNI commander to maintain the neutrality of the TNI. President Jokowi expressed his hope that the TNI would not be involved in practical politics.
"In order not to be attracted to important practical politics, the important thing and the importance of the synergy between the TNI and National Police is maintaining the processes of our country," said President Jokowi, accompanied by Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, after the inauguration of Adm. Yudo.
The President also stressed the importance of political stability and security in the context of state development and economic development, especially in dealing with uncertain situations because of global uncertainty.
In addition, the President also advised that the TNI commander maintain and increase public confidence in the TNI, which is now its highest.
"This trust must be maintained with professionalism in the TNI body which must continue to be improved," the President further said.
Regarding Yudo's replacement as the Chief of Staff of the Navy (KSAL), President Jokowi stressed that he would immediately prepare the candidate.
"Already, the candidate is clearly not from one star, not from two stars but from three stars. If so, he will be inaugurated soon," he said.
DINAS PENERANGAN TNI AL
Admiral Yudo Margono (right) becomes the Commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces to replace General Andika Perkasa, Monday (19/12/2022) at the State Palace.
House of Representatives speaker Puan Maharani, through a written statement, asked Yudo to ensure that TNI soldiers were neutral in practical politics, especially now that the country had entered a political year.
"Adm. Yudo has guaranteed the neutrality of the TNI to the House. We hope that there will be no political problems related to the TNI ahead and during the 2024 elections," Puan said.
Furthermore, she hoped that Yudo could continue to maintain the solidity of the TNI, both internally and in synergy with the National Police. Puan believed that the TNI under Yudo's leadership could provide its best service. Puan also reminded Yudo to continue to bring the TNI close to the people.
Priorities
Yudo Margono was born in Madiun, on 26 Nov., 1965. He was a graduate of the Navy Academy in 1988. Before being appointed as commander of the TNI, Yudo served as the Navy chief of staff. Yudo was proposed by President Jokowi to obtain the approval of the House as TNI commander at the end of November to replace Gen. Andika Perkasa who retires 1 Jan., 2023.
Yudo is the third-highest-ranking officer of the Indonesian Navy to serve as TNI commander. Previously, Adm. (Ret) Widodo Adi Sutjipto became the commander of the TNI for the 1999-2002 period and Adm. (Ret) Agus Suhartono for the 2010-2013 period. In the last 10 years or so, the position of the TNI commander was filled by three high-ranking Army officers, namely Gen. (Ret.) Moeldoko, Gen. (Ret.) Gatot Nurmantyo, Gen. Andika Perkasa, as well as a high-ranking Indonesian Air Force officer, Marshal (Ret.) Hadi Tjahjanto.
After the inauguration, Yudo stressed, according to the President's orders, the first priorities would be to maintain sovereignty, maintain unity and integrity and maintain the image of the TNI. According to the plan, the handover of the position of TNI commander from Gen. Andika will be held on Tuesday (12/20) at the TNI headquarters.
"Gather the staff first, the chiefs of staff of the forces, then also the staff at the TNI headquarters to formulate it, then we go to what I conveyed in accordance with my four priority programs," said Yudo.
MAWAR KUSUMA WULAN/KOMPAS
President Joko Widodo gave a press statement after the inauguration of Admiral Yudo Margono who was appointed as the TNI Commander, Monday (19/12/2022) at the State Palace, Jakarta..
In the fit-and-proper test as a candidate for TNI commander, which was held by House Commission I on Friday (2/12), Yudo mentioned his four work programs. One of them was increasing the operational readiness of the TNI, in both personnel and weapons.
Regarding the 2024 elections, Yudo stressed that he would guarantee the neutrality of the TNI.
"It must be and will be my concern. We, the TNI, from the beginning are neutral. We will continue to uphold this, especially in the political year. Of course, we have to maintain political processes, or the existing situation," he said.
Yudo added that a more humanitarian approach in dealing with armed criminal groups in Papua would be carried out by further accentuating territorial operations. An evaluation of the handling of operations Papua would also be carried out. Yudo would go to Papua with the chiefs of staff of the armed forces to see the situation in the field.
We, the TNI, from the beginning are neutral. We will continue to uphold this, especially in the political year.
Related to this, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD said he would speak with the TNI commander to continue the steps and policies of Gen. Andika on Papua, together with the chief of the National Police.
"We will coordinate at the Vice President's Office because, based on Presidential Instruction and Law No. 2/2021, the coordination will be under the vice president," Mahfud said.
Previously, Curie Maharani Savitri, a lecturer in international relations at Bina Nusantara University, quoted a Kompas poll, published on 12 Dec, that showed that 85.9 respondents were optimistic about Yudo Margono's leadership.
She also said one of Yudo’s main tasks was to prepare for the political campaign year. This would not be easy, she said, but she was quite optimistic that, under Yudo, the TNI as an institution would remain neutral. Moreover, Yudo had not shown excessive ambition to engage in political activity.
