Muninggar Sri Saraswati ,The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Air Marshal Djoko Suyanto said what many wanted to hear Wednesday, vowing during his confirmation hearing to keep the military out of politics and press ahead with internal reform if he becomes Indonesian Military (TNI) commander.

Yet his comment on maintaining the territorial structure of the Army in guarding the nation -- which critics say has led to abuses of power and an overreaching influence in the country -- are bound to provoke more debate about his commitment to reforming the military.

During his fit-and-proper test hearing before House Commission I on security and defense, Suyanto said the doctrine remained necessary because of the country's vast geographic area and the military's capacity to maintain its unity, detik.com reported.

Suyanto, who heads the Air Force, the smallest of the country's armed forces, asserted that he was not trying to curry favor with the long-powerful Army.

"I consider the territorial command is still relevant based on objective rationale. It's not that I want to win the Army's support," he said in response to legislators' questions.

Under the territorial command, the Army maintains 11 regional military commands, dozens of military resort commands, hundreds of district commands and thousands of military subdistrict commands, as well as many noncommissioned officers stationed at villages nationwide.

Suyanto said the territorial commands were "a means" to reach unspecified goals, but the commands would only be used to support military operations.

In hearings that began at 9 a.m. and were scheduled to end at midnight, Suyanto was serious in his responses as legislators bombarded him with questions, on topic ranging from reform, military weaponry to human rights.

He earlier pledged that he would ensure the military stayed out of politics.

"Don't worry, there would never be a violation by bringing the TNI into politics," he said.

He said conditions in the country were conducive to preventing the military from dabbling in politics, including a number of laws on the military and defense, as well as the watchdog role of non-governmental organizations, the House and the public.

Although current laws allow military personnel to contest regional elections once they declare themselves nonactive from service, Suyanto said he disagreed with the exemption.

"You should revise the law, banning military personnel to run for regional elections. Anyway, all of those who ran for regional elections lost," Suyanto said, referring to elections last year.

He said he was still considering if soldiers should vote in the 2009 elections, which has been proposed, saying that it may disrupt "military solidity".

"If the negative impacts are bigger than the positive impact, I would prefer to postpone (implementing the right to vote)," Suyanto said, adding that it would depend on the soldiers' "political maturity".

"We will hold discussions later to finalize our view on the President's nominee for the replacement of Gen. Endriartono Sutarto as the TNI chief," Commission I chief Theo Sambuaga said.

A total of 36 legislators asked questions of Suyanto, on topics ranging from reform, weapons to human rights.

Suyanto briefly lost his cool when Effendy Simbolon of the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), which earlier stated its support of another candidate, demanded he answer a question on choosing between handling separatism or human rights.

"Do not force me to deploy our forces without a political decision," he asserted.

During breaks in the session, most legislators, including Permadi of PDI-P -- chatted with him.

Most Houses faction leaders have said they will support Suyanto as the new TNI chief.