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