Article Posted on : - Nov 16, 2009

Indonesia's New Army Chief Lt. Gen. George Toisuta, left, clasping hands with Naval head Vice Adm. Agus Suhartono and new Air Force commander Vice Marshall Imam Sufaat before their promotion ceremony. Image credit: Antara

JAKARTA (BNS): Indonesia has appointed the new chiefs of staff for its Army, Navy and Air Force after unceremoniously removing the preceding three defence forces’ heads earlier this month.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has appointed Lt. Gen. George Toisuta, formerly commander of the Army Strategic Command (Kostrad), as the new Army chief of staff.

Vice Adm. Agus Suhartono, previously an inspector general at the Defense Ministry, now heads the Navy and Rear Marshall Imam Sufaat, formerly commander of the Air Force's Corps I, is the new Air Force chief.

The three military chiefs have replaced General Agustadi Sasongko Purnomo, Admiral Tedjo Edhy Purdijanto and Air Marshal Subandrio respectively.

Indonesia has termed the sudden removal of all the three defence chiefs as “routine”.

"The personnel changes in the highest posts of the three armed services had been planned for some time, and constituted a routine exercise," Commodore Sagom Tamboen, chief of the National Defense Forces (TNI) spokesman, was quoted as saying by official Antara news agency.