Da'i nomination faces mounting opposition

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.