General Bimantoro shows who's the boss of National Police

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)