General Bimantoro shows who's the boss of National Police

JAKARTA (JP): National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro summoned middle-ranking officers for a meeting on Thursday to brief them on the reasons behind his suspension and to assert that he remains at the helm.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Didi Widayadi told reporters after the closed-door meeting that Bimantoro used the occasion to clear up confusion over the dual leadership in the corps following President Abdurrahman Wahid's decision to suspend Bimantoro. The President then handpicked new deputy chief Comr. Gen. Chaeruddin Ismail to take over Bimantoro's day-to-day responsibilities.

"The matter needs to be clarified. There should be no break within the National Police, due to the appointment of the new National Police deputy chief," Didi said.

He would not reveal the details of the meeting, which was also attended by Chaeruddin.

An officer who was present at the gathering said that Bimantoro unveiled the "chronological sequence" of events that led to his suspension.

"He (Bimantoro) told us that in the past few months, he had taken a number of decisions that he considered were right, but they were not looked upon very well by the President," the source, who requested anonymity, told The Jakarta Post.

Among the decisions were strict security arrangements to cope with violence in Aceh, Kalimantan, Maluku, Irian and the latest spate of unrest in East Java.

The dispute between Abdurrahman and Bimantoro peaked and became more obvious when the police chief challenged the President's wish to issue a decree on a state of civilian emergency that would enable him to dissolve the House of Representatives.

"Pak Bimantoro knew beforehand that very soon, the President would fire him, or demand that his resignation," the source said.

Another police source added that the President would go as far as making sure that Bimantoro "would be made to retire" as soon as possible before the special session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) begins on Aug. 1.

Bimantoro is due to retire in November this year.

Chaeruddin turned up over an hour late for Thursday's meeting.

"We had to hold the meeting and could not start it before Comr. Gen. Chaeruddin Ismail showed up. He had an errand to run at the presidential palace," an officer said.

Chaeruddin was speechless throughout the meeting, according to the officer.

He said provincial police chiefs nationwide still reported to Bimantoro, instead of Chaeruddin.

"The running of the National Police... its daily duties are still handled by Bimantoro on a daily basis. He holds the highest command at the National Police, not Chaeruddin. It is his ideas and signature that is put on any police releases or decrees," the official said.

It was also Bimantoro who assigned National Police secretary- general Comr. Gen. Yun Mulyana to swear in Brig. Gen. Sudirman Ail on Thursday as the new West Java Police chief, replacing Insp. Gen. Syachroeddin. (ylt)