Jokowi Keeps Building Fortress of Confidants Ahead of Election Battle

The House of Representatives has received the president's official letter regarding appointing the newly installed Army Chief of Staff Gen. Agus Subiyanto as the new Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander. House Deputy Speaker Lodewijk Paulus said the House would organize a leadership meeting, followed by an assessment meeting by the House Steering Committee.

"We still need to discuss further regarding the president's appointment," Lodewijk, former army special forces commander, said on Oct 31.

Lodewijk said that after going through the leadership and the steering committee meetings, the president's official appointment letter would be discussed internally by the House's First Commission overseeing Defence, Foreign Affairs and Intelligence.

"We will be conducting administrative selection, and then the commission will pay a visit to the candidate's residence to confirm. The final stage will be a fit and proper test," he said.

Lodewijk said the House would have 20 days maximum to do a series of activities, including determining the fit and proper test toward Agus Subiyanto. The test result, he added, would be then presented before the House's plenary meeting.