Bimantoro continues to defy suspension
JAKARTA (JP): National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro has continued to defy President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid's orders demanding his suspension as police chief and has received backing from the legislature and strengthening support from inside the police force.
Bimantoro has ordered all provincial police chiefs to hold a ceremonial parade with their officers in their respective areas on Tuesday, and to pledge allegiance to him.
The parade in Jakarta, which will also involve soldiers from the military, will be held at the National Monument and presided over by Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Sofjan Yacob.
Sofjan, who on Sunday pledged his support for Bimantoro, has reportedly invited him as the police chief to preside over the parade at the National Monument.
National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Didi Widayadi said on Monday that all provincial police chiefs would make a pledge on Tuesday that they would stay united and reject any intervention.
"We will pledge our obedience to the institution of the National Police, that it may not be politicized," Didi told The Jakarta Post.
"We support Pak Bimantoro, not in his private capacity. If he should be replaced, it must be in accordance with the procedures," he added.
President Abdurrahman inaugurated on Saturday the new deputy police chief, Insp. Gen. Chaeruddin Ismail, and tasked him with taking over all responsibilities as National Police chief from Bimantoro, whom the President suspended.
The President's decision ignited criticism and objections from no less then 100 top-ranking officials of the police force who publicly expressed their resentment over the suspension.
They contended that the replacement of the National Police chief must be reported to and receive approval from the House of Representatives, as stipulated in People's Consultative Assembly Decree No.7/2000.
In an apparent move to challenge his suspension, Bimantoro installed 94 high-ranking and middle-ranking police officers to posts in the new police organizational structure in a ceremony held at the National Police Headquarters on Sunday morning.
The ceremony, however, was not attended by Chaeruddin. He met Bimantoro later on Sunday. Chaeruddin hugged Bimantoro in front of photographers. No official statement was given by either of them, but Chaeruddin dismissed speculation that he would resign.
"I will not step down," Chaeruddin told reporters shortly.
Bimantoro met with leaders of eight major factions from the House of Representatives on Sunday evening at the Bimasena meeting hall in South Jakarta, in which the factions declared their support for Bimantoro.
"According to the House, the National Police chief is still Bimantoro," the chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction, Arifin Panigoro, told reporters after the meeting.
Besides PDI Perjuangan, the other factions represented at the meeting were the Golkar Party faction, the United Development Party (PPP) faction, Reform faction, the Crescent Stars Party faction (PBB) faction, the Indonesian Military and National Police faction (TNI/Polri) faction, the Indonesian Nationhood (KKI) faction and the United People's Sovereignty (PDU) faction.
Bimantoro met with three former National Police chiefs on Monday at Graha Purnawira on Jl. Dharmawangsa in South Jakarta. They were Awaloeddin Djamin, Sanusi and Roesmanhadi. The former police chiefs also threw their support behind Bimantoro.
"We reject the fact that National Police chief Gen. Bimantoro has been relieved from his duties. It goes against existing regulations," Awaloeddin said after the meeting.
"We also reject the fact that the National Police is being made a political tool. It is an independent institution, and politics should have no place in it."
Also on Monday, Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri threw her support behind Bimantoro, noting that the replacement of the National Police chief should have followed the procedure stipulated in the People's Consultative Assembly decree.
"PDI Perjuangan and Ibu Megawati still consider Gen. Surojo Bimantoro as the National Police chief," PDI Perjuangan's deputy secretary-general Pramono Anung told The Jakarta Post after his meeting with Megawati on Monday.
Pramono also dismissed Abdurrahman's allegation that Bimantoro had helped create a rift between Megawati and the President.
"Ibu (Megawati) had never considered that Bimantoro created a rift between her and Gus Dur. In her exact words, she said: 'Why should we react to such a thing'," Pramono said. (dja/ylt)