Dai's future in legislators' hands

Dai's future in legislators' hands

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A joint team, comprising members of Commission I and
Commission II of the House of Representatives (DPR), will
commence discussions on Friday regarding the nomination of Comr.
Gen. Da'i Bachtiar as the new National Police chief.

"The team will commence its work after Friday's prayer
session," House Deputy Speaker Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno said
after presiding over a meeting of the Deliberation Body (Bamus)
here on Thursday.

The result of the assessment will be announced to the public
during a plenary session on Nov. 29.

The schedule was unveiled when a group of people from
Bondowoso, East Java, urged the DPR to reject the nomination of
Da'i, alleging that he had a poor track record.

The group demanded that a legal process be carried out on Da'i
for his suspected involvement in the fatal shooting of five
protesters in Bondowoso in September last year.

Besides claiming the five lives, six people were injured when
police officers opened fire on people protesting in front of the
police office. Da'i was East Java Police chief at the time.

The delegation, which included family members of victims of
the shooting, called for legal and moral accountability for both
Da'i and former Bondowoso Police chief Supt. Marwoto Soeto, who
had ordered the shooting.

"We strongly reject the nomination of Comr. Gen. Da'i Bachtiar
to become chief of the National Police until he presents his
accountability in relation to that incident," said Jumali, one of
the protesters.

Responding to the demand, a member of Commission II, Sutanto,
vowed that his commission would immediately send a request to
National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro to continue the legal
process.

"We will also have a working meeting with the police chief on
Dec. 1," Sutanto said.