Gatot Nurmantyo

General (Ret.)
Gatot Nurmantyo
Official portrait, 2015
Commander of the National Armed Forces
In office
8 July 2015 – 8 December 2017
PresidentJoko Widodo
Preceded byGeneral Moeldoko
Succeeded byACM Hadi Tjahjanto
Chief of Staff of the Army
In office
25 July 2014 – 15 July 2015
PresidentSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Joko Widodo
Preceded byGeneral Budiman
Succeeded byGeneral Mulyono
Commander of Army Strategic Command
In office
2 June 2013 – 26 September 2014
PresidentSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Preceded byLieutenant General Muhammad Munir
Succeeded byLieutenant General Mulyono
Personal details
Born (1960-03-13) 13 March 1960 (age 64)
Tegal, Central Java, Indonesia
SpouseEnny Trimurti
Alma materIndonesian Military Academy
Military service
Allegiance Indonesia
Branch/service Indonesian Army
Years of service1982–2018
Rank General
CommandsCommander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces
Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army
Commander of Army Strategic Command

General (Ret.) Gatot Nurmantyo (born 13 March 1960) is a retired Indonesian Army general who was commander (Panglima) of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) from 8 July 2015 until 8 December 2017.[1] Previously, he was the 30th Army Chief of Staff from 25 July 2014 after being appointed by President Yudhoyono to replace General Budiman. From 2013 to 2014, he was Commander of Army Strategic Command (Kostrad), replacing Lieutenant General Muhammad Munir.

In June 2015, he was nominated by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to replace TNI commander General Moeldoko, who was nearing retirement age. His appointment was then confirmed by the DPR. In December 2017, as Nurmantyo neared retirement age (in March 2018), the president announced his intention to replace him with Air Force Chief-of-Staff Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto as TNI commander.

Nurmantyo joined government officials and social activists in a march to support religious tolerance during the November 2016 Jakarta protests. Alongside Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa, Indonesian National Police chief Tito Karnavian and Islamic activist Yenny Wahid, he led public support of interfaith unity as a counterbalance to protests against Jakarta's Christian ethnic-Chinese governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama which included elements of intolerance and Sinophobia.[2][3]

Presidential aspiration

Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo with Gen. Joseph Dunford

Nurmantyo officially retired from military service on 31 March 2018 amid rising speculation he would run for the presidency in 2019.[4] On 6 April 2018, a group called Gatot Nurmantyo for the People (GNR) nominated Gatot as a candidate for Indonesia's 2019 presidential election.[5]

In an interview published by Tempo in April 2018, he responded positively to calls for him to run for the presidency, saying: "If the Republic calls and the people wish, I will be ready no matter what." He said democracy is in the hands of the people, "but it is Allah who has the final say. So, anyone who becomes the president is by the will of Allah and we must support him or her." Asked if he was interested in becoming President Jokowi's running mate, he responded: "I'm not a political whore." He admitted Jokowi's rival, opposition leader Prabowo Subianto, had invited him to join his Gerindra Party.[6]

Ties to Tomy Winata

Gatot has acknowledged he is close to tycoon and banker Tomy Winata. “People say that I have a close relationship with Tomy Winata. That's true. I will never be ashamed of that because I personally know his commitment,” he said. Their relationship started in 1997, when Winata's Artha Graha Bank acquired Arta Prima Bank, which was then renamed Pratama Bank. At the time, Gatot was Secretary Commissioner of Artha Graha Bank. The Indonesian media has speculated Winata might be providing financial backing for Gatot to run for the presidency in 2019.[7]

Honours

Gatot is the recipient of the following honours:

Star of Mahahaputera, 2nd Class (Bintang Mahaputera Adipradana)
Military Distinguished Service Star (Bintang Dharma) Grand Meritorious Military Order Star, 1st Class (Bintang Yudha Dharma Utama) Army Meritorious Service Star, 1st Class (Bintang Bintang Kartika Eka Pakçi Utama) Navy Meritorious Service Star, 1st Class (Bintang Jalasena Utama)
Air Force Meritorius Service Star, 1st Class (Bintang Swa Bhuwana Paksa Utama) National Police Meritorious Service Star, 1st Class (Bintang Bhayangkara Utama) Grand Meritorious Military Order Star, 2nd Class (Bintang Yudha Dharma Pratama) Army Meritorious Service Star, 2nd Class (Bintang Bintang Kartika Eka Pakçi Pratama)
Grand Meritorious Military Order Star, 3rd Class (Bintang Yudha Dharma Nararya) Army Meritorious Service Star, 3rd Class (Bintang Bintang Kartika Eka Pakçi Nararya) Military Long Service Medal, 32 Years (Satyalancana Kesetiaan 32 Tahun) Army Service Medal (Satyalancana Dharma Bantala)
Military Long Service Medal, 24 Years (Satyalancana Kesetiaan 24 Tahun) Military Long Service Medal, 16 Years (Satyalancana Kesetiaan 16 Tahun) Military Long Service Medal, 8 Years (Satyalancana Kesetiaan 8 Tahun) Military Operation Service Medal IX Raksaka Dharma (Satyalancana Gerakan Operasi Militer "GOM" IX Raksaka Dharma)
National Defence Service Medal (Satyalancana Dharma Nusa) Outer Islands Guard Medal (Satyalancana Wira Nusa) Border Guard Medal (Satyalancana Wira Dharma) Special Forces Medal (Satyalancana Ksatria Tudha)
Timor Military Campaign Medal (Satyalancana Seroja)w/ 2 silver star Military Instructor Service Medals (Satyalancana Dwidya Sistha) Social Welfare Medal (Satyalancana Kebaktian Sosial) Courageous Commander of The Most Gallant Order of Military Service (Panglima Gagah Angkatan Tentera)(Malaysia)
The Most Exalted Order of Famous Valour (Darjah Paduka Keberanian Laila Terbilang Yang Amat Gemilang), 1st Class (Brunei) Distinguished Service Order (Military) (Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang (Tentera))(Singapore) Meritorious Service Medal (Military) (Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Tentera))(Singapore) 1st Class (Tong-il Medal) of the Order of National Security Merit (South Korea)

References

  1. ^ "Gatot Nurmantyo officially becomes TNI commander". The Jakarta Post. July 14, 2015. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
  2. ^ Police Chief Calls for National Unity. Tempo, 30 November 2016. Accessed 5 December 2016.
  3. ^ Tia Asmara, Indonesians Rally for Unity in Military-Backed Demonstrations. Benar News, 30 November 2016. Accessed 5 December 2016.
  4. ^ "Gatot Nurmantyo on Running for President". Jakarta Globe. 5 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  5. ^ Sarwanto, Abi (6 April 2018). "Relawan Deklarasi Dukungan Gatot Nurmantyo Capres 2019". CNN Indonesia. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  6. ^ "Former TNI Commander Gatot Nurmantyo: I'm not a political whore". Tempo.co. 3 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  7. ^ W., Arkhelaus (2 April 2018). "Gatot Nurmantyo Opens up about His Close Ties with Tomy Winata". Tempo.co. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
Military offices
Preceded by
Budiman
 Chief of Staff of Indonesian Army
2014−2015 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of Indonesian Armed Forces
2015–2017 		Succeeded by