Dual leadership confuses Jakarta Police chief

Dual leadership confuses Jakarta Police chief

JAKARTA (JP): Dualism in the National Police leadership has
caused Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Sofjan Yacob to be
confused, as he is at a loss as to who the real boss is.

"This is the first time that a national police chief has been
made non-active (suspended). This matter actually needs to be
reviewed. We are really confused," Sofjan told reporters on
Friday.

National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro was suspended last
week by President Abdurrahman Wahid, who later appointed Comr.
Gen. Chaeruddin Ismail to hold the post of National Police deputy
chief.

"Suppose something has to be done, and Pak Bimantoro decides
to go to the right, while Pak Chaeruddin decides to move to the
left, what will become of the Jakarta Police?

"If there are splinters within us and there is no 'one single
command', it will prove to be very bad for the people."

Separately, Chaeruddin told reporters that there need not be a
specified division of labor, between himself and Bimantoro.

"There need not be specifications on the division of labor. We
both know what our jobs are and what we have to do. It is not
something that I have to describe (to reporters)," Chaeruddin
said.

When asked whether Bimantoro could no more be considered a
police chief, Chaeruddin replied, "Your question is really
difficult (to answer) ... more difficult than examination
questions. Ask something else!"

He however said that the police command "was still in the
hands of Pak Bimantoro."

Meanwhile, Bimantoro told reporters that he spent his days
receiving guests and speaking with his staff members, and denied
knowing anything about the steps taken by Abdurrahman that led to
his suspension.

"I do not know anything about this suspension ... it is a
process. One day you are up, the next day you are down," he told
reporters on Friday afternoon.

"There is an important matter that has yet to be settled. It
will be settled when I am no more the National Police chief."

In a related development, the Army's Strategic Reserves
Command (Kostrad) chief Lt. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu warned of
political intervention by civilians into the Indonesian Military
(TNI)/National Police institutions.

"I don't mind the political elite being involved in political
disputes, but don't try to bring the military or the police into
its disputes.

"We want to be able to carry out our duty professionally, so
the civilian politicians should keep us away from their conflicts
and not try to exploit us for their own political interests,"
Ryamizard said at a joint military-police physical exercise held
at the Kostrad airborne unit in Cijantung, East Jakarta.

He implied that the event was held to demonstrate to the
people that the TNI and National Police were still solid.

Present at the event were also the Air Force Western Fleet
Commander Rear Marshall Joko Sutrisno, the Navy's Western Fleet
Commander Rear Adm. Harry Triyono, the Army's Special Force
(Kopassus) chief Maj. Gen. Amirul Isnaini, the Jakarta Military
Commander Maj. Gen. Bibit Waluyo, and presidential security guard
chief Brig. Gen. Amir Thoha, and Sofjan Yacob. (ylt/02)