Bimantoro to return his baton

Bimantoro to return his baton

JAKARTA (JP): After a letter from his military secretary
incited uproar among the police, President Abdurrahman Wahid
issued a decree on Friday ordering the outgoing National Police
chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro to return the command baton and all
command attributes to the President pending the appointment of
the new police chief.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Social, and Security
Affairs Gen. (ret.) Agum Gumelar told reporters that Bimantoro
had agreed to hand over all the command symbols to him.

"I understand the feeling among the National Police in facing
these sudden changes due to the issuance of some presidential
decrees. But as the President himself had issued the decree to
dismiss Pak Bimantoro, all of this confusion I hope can be
resolved," Agum said.

"In a normal reshuffle, the outgoing Police chief would hand
over his baton to his successor. But as the new Police chief has
yet to be selected, Pak Bimantoro must return his baton to his
superior, that is the President," Agum said.

The Presidential Decree No. 89/2000 on the separation of the
Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police stipulates that
the Police falls directly under the President's supervision.

But according to a People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
decree, issued in August last year, the appointment and dismissal
of TNI and Police chiefs requires a prior approval from the House
of Representatives (DPR).

Bimantoro's appointment last year however did not receive
prior approval from the House. Last month the President dismissed
Bimantoro and announced a plan to appoint him as ambassador to
Malaysia.

According to Agum, the President set a Friday deadline for
Bimantoro to fulfill the order. But in view of Bimantoro's trip
to East Java that day, the President agreed to extend the
deadline until Saturday.

"Tomorrow (Saturday), Pak Bimantoro is scheduled to meet with
the President during which he is expected to settle all of these
matters," Agum said.

On Wednesday Bimantoro had told Agum that he accepted his
dismissal, but requested that the President issue another order
asking him to return his command baton.

However Presidential Military Secretary Vice Marshall Budhy
Santoso provoked controversy on Thursday by sending a letter to
Bimantoro on the President's behalf, asking Bimantoro to
immediately transfer his power and all attributes to the
President through Agum.

Agum acknowledged the administrative fault.

"But the mistake has been corrected today, and the order now
has been signed by the President himself," Agum said.

"We have informed Pak Bimantoro about the correction."

In response to Budhy letter, National Police spokesman Insp.
Gen. Didi Widayadi said on Friday that the handing over of the
command and attributes of a National Police chief, represented a
"lawful authority followed by nearly 200,000 police officers
nationwide; most of them are armed."

The President appointed Chaeruddin as National Police deputy
chief and empowered him to carry out day-to-day duties of
National Police chief following his decision to dismiss
Bimantoro.

Chaeruddin met with the President at Merdeka Palace.
He could not hide his annoyance at Bimantoro's refusal to
surrender his power.

"The problem is there is an appointment and there is a
rejection to give up his position. A dismissed official must be
ready to hand over his power," Chaeruddin said of Bimantoro's
reluctance.

Separately, the House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Akbar
Tandjung reminded the President on Friday of regulations in
changing the National Police chief.

"It seems as if the President is the National Police chief ...
I am reminding the President to do this according to the
regulations," he said commenting on the President's order to hand
over Bimantoro's power to him.

He asserted that the President needs the House's approval if
he wishes to replace the National Police chief.

Assembly Speaker Amien Rais said he was shocked by
Abdurrahman's latest move, and suggested that the President stop
creating controversy ahead of the Assembly special session.

"I only wish to remind people that we have a commitment to do
everything according to the Constitution," Amien said.
(tso/ylt/dja/)