TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Indonesian Armed Forces spokesman Maj. Gen. Fuad Basya has confirmed that the chief of the Army’s Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad), Lt. Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo, would be promoted to Army’s chief of staff, replacing Gen. Budiman.
“Yes. He will replace Gen. Budiman,” he told Tempo on Tuesday, July 22, 2014.
Fuad, however, said he was ignorant of when the inauguration would take place, adding that it was up to the president. He said the inauguration would be followed by a handover ceremony, whose time would be set by Armed Forces commander Gen. Moeldoko.
Gen. Budiman has confirmed his dismissal. He said Gen. Moeldoko phoned him and told him about his dismissal on Monday night, July 21, 2014 when he was organizing a fast-breaking event with journalists.
Budiman said he was in the dark on the motive behind his early dismissal.
Fuad, meanwhile, said the president’s removing Budiman from his post was related to his retirement age that would be due in two months. He added the president made the decision based on this ground.
“He was born in 1956, and was about to retire,” he said.
SAID HELABY
