Bimantoro rejects ambassadorial post<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Defiant National Police chief Gen. Surojo
\nBimantoro said on Monday that he accepted his dismissal by
\nPresident Abdurrahman Wahid but had refused the President's offer
\nto appoint him as Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia.<\/p>\n
"I personally, and my family, offer not a thousand, but a
\nmillion thanks to the President for the respect he has shown me
\nby offering this post of the ambassadorship to Malaysia.<\/p>\n
"With all due respect, we cannot accept this offer due to a
\nnumber of limitations on my part. I offer my deepest apologies on
\nthis matter," Bimantoro told reporters at National Police
\nheadquarters on Monday.<\/p>\n
Bimantoro said he fully accepted his dismissal as National
\nPolice chief and requested that Presidential Decree No. 49\/2001
\non his dismissal be studied and processed by the House of
\nRepresentatives.<\/p>\n
"The replacement of a National Police chief is the President's
\nright as the head of state, even if this has to be first agreed
\nupon by the House.<\/p>\n
"This decision is the right of the President ... I accept it."<\/p>\n
Top police officials stated after a meeting at National Police
\nheadquarters that they accepted the dismissal but said that
\nBimantoro would still function as National Police chief until the
\nHouse officially sanctions his dismissal.<\/p>\n
President Abdurrahman Wahid insisted that Bimantoro had no
\nother choice but to abide by the decision of the President, whom
\nhe described as the police's supreme commander, to send him as an
\nenvoy to Kuala Lumpur.<\/p>\n
"When the commander in chief decides something, it must be
\nobeyed. Otherwise, the subordinate will be declared guilty of
\ninsubordination," the President said before leaving the Bina
\nGraha presidential office on Monday.<\/p>\n
The 1945 Constitution stipulates that the President holds
\nsupreme authority over the Army, Navy and Air Force. The police
\nalso come under the President's direct control.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman suspended Bimantoro in late May and appointed
\nComr. Gen. Chaeruddin Ismail as National Police deputy chief to
\nperform the day-to-day duties of the police chief.<\/p>\n
Bimantoro then challenged his suspension and continued working
\nas National Police chief, with the open support of top police
\ncommanders.<\/p>\n
Chaeruddin said in Bandung, West Java, on Monday that he was
\nnot worried about his official installation as the National
\nPolice chief.<\/p>\n
"It will be done very, very soon. An official replacement
\ncould occur anytime, within seconds or days.<\/p>\n
"I repeat, there is no dual leadership in the National Police.
\nAll the problems regarding this matter have been solved.
\nEverything will be made clear, given time," Chaeruddin said.<\/p>\n
Chaeruddin, however, seems to be lacking support from senior
\npolice officers, as well as political backing from the House.<\/p>\n
Leaders of seven House factions stated on Monday that they
\nstill recognized Bimantoro as the sole National Police chief and
\nsuggested that the People's Consultative Assembly bring forward
\nthe special session to demand the President to account for his
\ntime in office.<\/p>\n
The factions were the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
\n(PDI Perjuangan) faction, the Golkar Party faction, the United
\nDevelopment Party faction, the Reform faction, the Crescent Star
\nParty faction, the Indonesian Nationhood faction and the United
\nPeople's Sovereignty Party faction.<\/p>\n
Representatives from the Indonesian Military and National
\nPolice faction were present at the press conference given by the
\nseven faction but they refrained from signing the statement.<\/p>\n
Bimantoro's dismissal even drew fire from the National
\nAwakening Party, the President's sole supporter in the House.
\nChairman Matori Abdul Djalil said that President's supporters
\nregretted the move.<\/p>\n
"The President's statement dismissing the National Police
\nchief will pave way for the possibility of accelerating the
\nAssembly's special session and close the door on compromise so as
\nto reach a win-win solution," Matori remarked on Monday.<\/p>\n
Assembly Speaker Amien Rais said that there was no major
\nreason for accelerating the special session, adding that the
\nsession would still be held on Aug. 1 as scheduled.
\n(ylt\/dja\/prb\/25)<\/p>",
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