The issue of changing  the TNI Commander appeared as the retirement of TNI Commander General Gatot Nurmantyo in March 2018, approximately in the next six months. The replacement process will usually take several months before, including the fit and proper test process of the candidate in the DPR. TNI Commander is a strategic position that can affect the climate of national and state life. The choice of ABRI Commander Wiranto in 1998 not to use his capacity to take over the post-President Soeharto government was believed to help smooth the process of democratic reform and transition in Indonesia.

Substitution Commander is a normal process in the TNI, it also means the move 'carriage' career in the body of the TNI. There will be many promotion and mutation opportunities within the TNI, especially for the positions filled with high-ranking officers. The future of careers is one of the soldiers’motivations to serve the best. Article 13 Paragraph (4) of the TNI Law of 2004 mandates that the TNI Commander is a position which is held alternately from an active high ranking officer in each class who is or has served as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.

If it is viewed, the Commander of the Panglima since its reform of the composition are  four Commander-in-Chief of the Army, two Commander-in-Chiefs from the Navy, one Commander  from the Air Force. By the time of the reformation, TNI / ABRI Commander was always held by four-star officers from the army. It was President Abdurrahman Wahid who broke the tradition that the TNI Commander always came from the Army. Admiral Widodo AS was the first Commander to come from outside the Army. The commander-in-chief's rotation is also a form of recognition of equality among members of the armed forces.

Indeed, the election of the Panglima is the right of the President by observing the mandate of the TNI Law. Ideally the background of the President's decision in nominating candidates to the House is based on the spirit of organizational professionalism. In accordance with article 13 above, DPR may accept, reject or not respond to the President's proposal on the candidate of the Commander.  DPR may refuse to be accompanied by written reasons and the President may nominate another candidate. If  DPR does not reply within 20 days, then it can be interpreted that  DPR  accepts the President's proposal. Whereas the President chooses candidates for certain reasons, that reason is not a political reason.

The commander must be the best candidate of the existing Chief of Staff of the Force, a true professional soldier and respect civil supremacy in the context of democracy, in line with the current government vision of the Maritime Axis. Another factor that can be considered is the age, if the elected candidate is aged approached pension, then it will not be effective for the performance of TNI organization.

The composition of candidates who can be nominated to the TNI Commander is currently the officials of KSAD, KSAL, and KSAU. The three officials are professional soldiers who deserve to be candidates for the TNI Commander. Of the three officials, KSAU Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto is the youngest candidate with the youngest age of 54 years. Meanwhile KSAD General Mulyanto is 56 years old and KSAL Admiral Ade Supandi is 57 years old. The retirement age of high-ranking TNI officers is 58 years.

TNI substitute General Commander, Gatot Nurmantyo, will have homework that is not light. He must ensure the reform process stays on track, maintain organizational and soldier professionalism, and maintain TNI's solidity. Contestation and political atmosphere in the lead up to the 2019 election is also a challenge for the new Commander in order to keep a distance from the political situation. It has no interest in a particular candidate, causing a commotion.

In addition to internal distortions, the new Commander must also always be alert to the threats that exist, in accordance with the TNI's main duties and functions, defense. Military development through the MEF program, personnel training, and remuneration improvement of soldiers should continue. In order for  TNI to be ready at all times to ward off any threats, the great tasks and responsibilities must always be based on the spirit of dedication and professionalism.

(Suryo Wibisono, Lecturer Department of International Relations & Researcher Center for Defense and Security Studies UPN 'Veteran' Yogyakarta This article was published Daily Newspaper on Kedaulatan Rakyat, Tuesday 28 November 2017)