Prabowo swaps army chief, TNI deputy commander in latest reshuffle
President Prabowo Subianto swapped the posts of the Indonesian Military (TNI) deputy commander and the Army chief of staff on Thursday, a move analysts say could signal broader changes in the military’s leadership amid the President’s effort to strengthen his grip on the security forces.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto reshuffled key military positions on Thursday, swapping the roles of the TNI deputy commander and Army chief of staff, analysts say this could indicate a broader reshaping of the military's leadership as Prabowo seeks to assert greater control over the armed forces. During a ceremony at the State Palace in Jakarta, Gen. Maruli Simanjuntak was promoted to deputy TNI commander, a post previously held by Gen. Tandyo Budi Revita since August.
In contrast, Tandyo was appointed Army chief of staff, a role he took over from Gen. Maruli, who had served in that position for nearly three years following his appointment by former President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in November 2023. Gen. Maruli will now serve as the head of the National Border and Remote Area Management Agency, a dual role that will allow him to support TNI Commander Gen. Agus Subiyanto while also aiding the military's efforts to boost the economy in remote regions.
Gen. Maruli expressed his commitment to serving the commander and highlighted the agency's potential to aid economic development in far-flung areas, emphasizing the President's vision. Tandyo also expressed his intention to aid the President's key initiatives, such as the Red and White Cooperatives. The military leadership changes occurred as speculation grew that Prabowo might soon replace TNI chief Agus, appointed by Jokowi in November 2023, with someone more aligned with his own preferences, potentially consolidating his influence over the armed forces.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
