Da'i nomination faces mounting opposition

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The nomination of Comr. Gen. Da'i Bachtiar as the new National Police chief by President Megawati Soekarnoputri has faced mounting opposition from observers, who say his neutrality in the police's internal conflict should not be the main reason for appointing him.

Mulyana W. Kusumah of the University of Indonesia (UI) said the officers' previous track records were more important as the deciding factor in electing the police chief.

"Using neutrality as the main consideration gives the impression that the police are only dealing with their internal affairs, but in reality the police have more complicated matters in serving the public," Mulyana told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

State Secretary/Cabinet Secretary Bambang Kesowo said on Monday the nomination of Da'i as the National Police chief was expected to mend rifts in the National Police force.

Since the appointment of Gen. Chaerudin Ismail as the National Police chief by former president Abdurrahman Wahid, the police force has been divided into those who support Chaerudin and those who support incumbent National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro, who will retire on Nov. 3.

Munir, the founder of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), said that the government's argument on the Da'i nomination was groundless.

"The main argument in electing the National Police chief should be his vision and integrity to manage the future of the police," Munir told the Post.

Speaking on the rifts at police headquarters, Munir said that the appearance of factions in the police was a result of intervention by the government and lawmakers.

"What happened in the past should serve as a good lesson in that the government and other politicians should not intervene in the police," he added.

Meanwhile, UI analyst Adrianus Meliala also said that rifts in the National Police headquarters was not the only reason Megawati appointed Da'i.

Adrianus said that Da'i, who graduated from the State Police Academy in 1972, was expected to resolve various security problems faced by the nation since he was not old and he would have enough time to deal with the problems.

"One of Megawati's considerations was his age, as he is relatively young compared to other police officers, and the police need time to resolve the various problems facing the nation," Adrianus said.

He said East Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Sutanto, who graduated in 1973, also deserved the top position in the National Police headquarters, but that he was still linked to Bimantoro's camp.

Ahmad Sumargono, a member of the House of Representatives' Commission I for defense, foreign and political affairs, also expressed his disagreement with Da'i's nomination, saying that there were other better police officers to fill the position.

Sumargono said Megawati should consider the role of several officers to help facilitate the process of the succession of national leadership from former president Abdurrahman to Megawati.

Another House Commission I member, Burhan Magenda, however, expressed his support for Da'i's nomination, saying that the House of Representatives would discuss the nomination next month.

"We will hopefully have a new police chief in November at the latest," Burhan said on the sidelines of a seminar on the national defense study program.

House Commission I is in charge of approving the National Police chief from the nominations submitted by the government.