Agum plays down rift at police helms
Agum plays down rift at police helms
JAKARTA (JP): Top security minister Lt. Gen. (ret) Agum
Gumelar has played down reports about possible rifts between
National Police chief Gen. Bimantoro and his new deputy Insp.
Gen. Chaeruddin Ismail, saying that Bimantoro would soon enter
his mandatory retirement age.
Newly appointed Coordinating Minister for Political, Social
and Security Affairs Agum Gumelar said on Tuesday that Bimantoro
would get a new position in the government.
"There is no dualism (within the police organization). I have
met with both of them. The National Police chief will enter his
preretirement period next month," Agum told reporters after
attending the inauguration of four ministers, including himself,
at the State Palace.
Born in Gombong, Central Java, in Nov. 1946, Bimantoro will
enter his mandatory pension age in November. Mandatory age for
senior police and military officers is 55 years old unless the
President extends his/her service for another five years.
Agum did not provide further details, saying only that he
would resolve the issue of police leadership with all related
parties, including the House of Representatives.
The House and many parties, including no less than 100 top-
ranking officials of the police force, have voiced their
opposition against President Abdurrahman Wahid's decision to
suspend Bimantoro as National Police chief and task Chaeruddin to
take over all responsibilities from Bimantoro.
They contended that the President's move was against People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) Decree No. VII, issued in August,
which requires prior approval from the House in the appointment
and dismissal of the National Police chief and the Indonesian
Military (TNI) chief.
Bimantoro's appointment to replace Rusdihardjo in September
last year was also controversial at the time. Citing an urgent
security situation, the President promoted Bimantoro and defied
the Assembly decree.
Earlier on Tuesday, Bimantoro met with House leaders at the
House compound, in which House Speaker Akbar Tandjung and faction
leaders reinstated their political support for Bimantoro.
"The House leadership and nine of the ten factions in the
House are of the same opinion that Bimantoro is still chief of
the National Police," Akbar said after receiving Bimantoro.
Akbar warned that Bimantoro's suspension last Friday and the
installment of Chaeruddin as deputy chief on Saturday could
create dualism at the helm of the National Police.
He said that House and faction leaders had agreed to assign
House Commission I on defense and security and Commission II on
home and legal affairs to discuss Bimantoro's suspension and
Chaeruddin's appointment and to prepare the House's official
response to be endorsed in the next plenary session.
Bimantoro said after the meeting that he briefed House leaders
about his situation.
"I have no intention to win political support from the House
and we want all sides to comply with the law, including the one
on National Police. I am ready to be suspended from my job or be
discharged as long as it is in accordance with the law," he said.
Bimantoro insisted that it was difficult to recognize
Chaeruddin's appointment because the position he was in now had
been phased out in accordance with the National Police's new
organizational structure.
"We want the President to comply with the law and the
presidential decree which he issued recently," he said.
Bimantoro put off his plan to preside over a show of force by
nearly 8,000 military and police personnel at the National
Monument Park (Monas).
City police chief Insp. Gen. Sofjan Yacob led the ceremonial
parade, joined also by military soldiers, including the Army
Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) forces and the Marines.
Sofjan described the parade as a preparation for the Assembly's
special session in August.
"This briefing has been held according to the immediate
instructions of our National Police chief to show that we remain
united, and will reject any kind of outside intervention," Sofjan
said.
"Police officers nationwide regard Gen. Bimantoro as their
National Police chief, in the legal sense," Sofjan insisted.
Meanwhile, South Sulawesi Police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani
said the provincial police would neither support nor oppose
Bimantoro and Chaeruddin.
"Once we support either of the two officials that means we are
taking sides, while our position is to do the best for the
province."
He said he was sure that the dispute between Bimantoro and
Chaeruddin would end within the next two or three days.
(rms/ylt/27/prb)