House divided over retirement age for police<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Major factions in the House of Representatives
\nspecial committee in charge of deliberating the bill on the
\nNational Police were divided over a proposal to raise the
\nmandatory retirement age for police officers from 55 to 60 years
\nold.<\/p>\n
Only the Indonesian Military\/National Police faction fully
\nsupported the proposal while the others, mainly from the Golkar
\nParty, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
\nPerjuangan) and the Indonesian Awakening Party (PKB), backed it
\nbut with some reservation.<\/p>\n
The bill proposes that the mandatory retirement age for police
\nofficers be raised from 55 to 58 years old, with personnel given
\nthe option of serving until age 60. The reasoning behind the
\nproposal is that a later retirement will help the force cope with
\nthe limited number of police personnel and improve police
\nprofessionalism.<\/p>\n
\"It is feared that police officers will be frustrated if they
\nhave to retire early because even at 60 years of age, most of
\nthem still look fresh,\" Maj. Gen. Syamsul Mu'arif, the spokesman
\nfor the Indonesian Military\/National Police faction, said.<\/p>\n
\"Moreover, the proposal also constitutes a good alternative to
\nhelp solve the shortage of police personnel,\" he said at a
\ndeliberation meeting, which acting Minister of Justice and Human
\nRights Hari Sabarno attended in his capacity as a government
\nrepresentative.<\/p>\n
The bill was submitted two months ago to amend the 1997 Law on
\nNational Police and to enforce MPR Decree No. 6\/2000 on the
\nseparation of the police from the Indonesian Military.<\/p>\n
It also stipulates that the police institution be put under
\nthe President's direct control as she has the authority to
\nappoint a new police chief with House approval.<\/p>\n
The bill further regulates that the police be put under
\ncivilian law and the district court system, with their main task
\nbeing to maintain security at home.<\/p>\n
Based on the current law, the mandatory retirement age is set
\nat 45 for low-ranking personnel and 55 for middle and high-
\nranking officers. According to the law, the police institution
\nstill constitutes an integral part of the military and is under
\nthe control of the TNI commander and military law.<\/p>\n
Agun Gunandjar, a member of the Golkar Party faction, said his
\nfaction agreed with the proposal, but did not want to support it
\nin a tactless way.<\/p>\n
Serious deliberation is needed because \"the bill could be
\nabused by certain police officials to maintain their positions,
\nthereby disturbing career development in the police
\norganization,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said his faction would be critical of the bill to help
\nreform the police organization in line with people's aspirations.<\/p>\n
\"All police officers should know the police's new paradigm,
\nespecially in public service and human rights. Police officers,
\nwho are found guilty of abusing human rights, will be sentenced
\nin accordance with the criminal code,\" he said.<\/p>\n
J. Sahetapy of PDI Perjuangan concurred, but immediately said
\nthat the mandatory retirement age should be raised only for non-
\ncareer personnel who specialized in certain fields.<\/p>\n
\"It is quite difficult and costly to find police personnel who
\nhave expertise in forensic science, economic crimes,
\ninvestigations and narcotics,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Effendy Choirie, a member of the PKB faction, said after the
\nmeeting that his faction would strive to make the bill ready for
\napproval after next month to prevent Bimantoro from extending his
\nterm in office.<\/p>\n
\"If the bill is passed into law this month, Bimantoro, who
\nshould be retiring in mid-October, could use it to extend his
\nterm in office,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"With the current number of 500,000 police personnel, an
\nofficer is forced to serve about 250,000 people,\" said Insp. Gen.
\nDidi Widayadi, the National Police spokesman, citing that ideally
\nthe ratio should be one officer for every 250 people. (rms)<\/p>",
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