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)