Moeldoko

Dr. Moeldoko (pronounced [muldoko]; born 8 July 1957) is an Indonesian government official and retired general serving as the current Chief of Staff of Presidency for President Joko Widodo, previously serving as Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. He graduated from the Indonesian Military Academy (AKABRI) in 1981 and received the prestigious Adhi Makayasa medal as valedictorian of his class. On August 27, 2013, he was appointed Commander of the National Armed Forces by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and approved by the People's Representative Council (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat, DPR) after serving as the Chief of Staff of the Army for only three months. He succeeded Admiral (Ret.) Agus Suhartono who retired in May 2013.

During his military career, General Moeldoko has received many awards and distinctions such as the notable Indonesian Military Distinguished Service Star (Bintang Dharma) from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Singapore's prestigious military award, the Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Tentera) (Military Meritorious Service Medal). The Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Tentera) was conferred to him by the President of Singapore Tony Tan Keng Yam in recognition of his contributions in strengthening ties between the Indonesian and Singaporean armies. In addition, he has been distinguished in Indonesia with the National Police Meritorious Service Star (Bintang Bhayangkara), Defence Meritorious Service Star - 2nd and 3rd Class (Bintang Sewindu Angkatan Perang), Army Meritorious Service Star – 2nd and 3rd Class (Bintang Kartika Eka Paksi Pratama), Dharma Santala Medal, Medal of 24 years’ loyalty Service, Timor Military Campaign Medal (Operation Lotus), and Malaysia/Borneo Military Campaign Medal (Satyalancana Wira Dharma).

Life

General Moeldoko was born in Kediri, East Java as the youngest son in a family of twelve children. He attended an agricultural vocational school in the town of Jombang in East Java and the joined the military academy in Magelang, Central Java. Gen. Moeldoko is married to Koesni Harningsih and has two children, Randy Bimantoro and Joanina Rachma.

Career

General Moeldoko has been assigned to several military operations during his career. The most notable of these operations are the Seroja Operation in East Timor (1984) and Garuda Contingent XI/A for Congo (1995). In addition, his overseas assignments and operations include stints in New Zealand (1983 and 1987), Singapore and Japan (1991), Iraq-Kuwait (1992), USA, and Canada. On January 15, 2013, Moeldoko received a Doctorate degree in public administration science from the Faculty of Social and Political Science of the Universitas Indonesia (UI).

As National Armed Forces Commander, General Moeldoko represented Indonesia in several international meetings and met with several leaders from around the world. In February 2014, he met with the Vice Chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, General Fan Changlong in Beijing, China, to discuss bilateral ties. These discussions were related to maritime and anti-terrorism cooperation as well as the Komodo multilateral joint exercise that involves all 10 ASEAN member states together with Australia, India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea and USA. To promote friendship and cooperation, General Moeldoko met with Vietnamese General Phùng Quang Thanh, Minister of National Defence of Vietnam in February, 2014 and with Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Armed Forces of the Philippines General Emmanuel Bautista at Camp Aguinaldo.

Although he has never served outside the military, General Moeldoko has been active at home and abroad. He has been mentioned as potential VP and running mate of Joko Widodo, the governor of Jakarta and candidate in the coming Indonesian presidential elections. General Moeldoko has been involved in handling the incident of the turning-back asylum boats in Australia; the decision to name an Indonesian navy ship after marines associated with controversies in Singapore in 1965; and other details about his choices.

Military education

• 1981 - Indonesian Armed Forces Academy (AKABRI)
• 1994 - Army Staff and Command School (Seskoad)
• 2001 - Armed Forces Staff and Command School
• 2001 - National Resilience Institute [Lemhannas] KRA Lemhannas

Military positions

Within seven months of 2013, General Moeldoko was granted three promotions: first as Deputy Army Chief of Staff in February, then as Army Chief of Staff in May, and as Commander of Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) on August 30. He has served in the TNI at several important positions as described below:

Awards and distinctions

Medals and decorations

• 

  [A] Mil. Disting.
  Service Star

• 

  [B] Mil. Meritorious
  Service Medal
  (Singapore)

• 

  [C] Def. Meritorious
  Service Star

• 

  [D] Army Meritorious
  Service Star

• 

  [E] Malaysia/Borneo Mil.
  Campaign Medal

• [A] Indonesia Military Distinguished Service Star.
  (Bintang Dharma)
• [B] Singapore military Meritorious Service Medal.
  (Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Tentera))
• National Police Meritorious Service Star. (Bintang Bhayangkara)
• [C] Defence Meritorious Service Star – 2nd Class.
  (Bintang Yudha Dharma)
• Army Meritorious Service Star – 2nd Class.
  (Bintang Kartika Eka Paksi Pratama)
• Defence Meritorious Service Star – 3rd Class.
  (Bintang Yudha Dharma)
• [D] Army Meritorious Service Star – 3rd Class.
  (Bintang Kartika Eka Paksi)
• Dharma Santala Medal.
• Medals of 24 years, 16 years, 8 years of loyalty service.
• Timor Military Campaign Medal.
• [E] Malaysia/Borneo Military Campaign Medal (Satyalancana Wira Dharma)
• Satya Widya Sista.

Foreign honour

•  Malaysia : Honorary Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (P.S.M.) (2015)