Da'i's track record questioned

Da'i's track record questioned

JAKARTA: About 100 people on Monday demonstrated their objection to President Megawati Soekarnoputri's choice of Cmr. Gen. Da'i Bachtiar as the sole police chief candidate.

Grouped under the Tangerang People's Movement (Gerang), they amassed at the busy Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta. They said that Da'i was unacceptable because he had been an ardent supporter of the New Order government and had a questionable track record.

Da'i, they said, was not serious in handling those accused of corruption as was made obvious when he let 16 corrupt bankers go unpunished while he was the National Police chief of detectives.

The protesters said that Da'i also had a questionable human rights records as police in East Java under his command last year shot dead five demonstrators.

"President Megawati hurt the people by picking him as the sole police chief candidate because Da'i has a very bad track record," a demonstrator announced.

Megawati has submitted Da'i's name to the House of Representatives for approval.--Antara