Gus Dur backtracks on order to arrest Gen. Bimantoro

Gus Dur backtracks on order to arrest Gen. Bimantoro

JAKARTA (JP): Within hours, President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur"
Wahid backtracked on his earlier statements on Thursday regarding
the order to arrest outgoing National Police chief Gen. Surojo
Bimantoro, following the reluctance of his top aides to carry out
his instruction.

In a hastily arranged media conference on Thursday night, new
Cabinet Secretary Marzuki Darusman rectified an earlier statement
made by presidential spokesman Yahya Staquf about the order to
arrest Bimantoro.

"Until now the President has not yet issued an effective
instruction to arrest Gen. Bimantoro," Marzuki said.

Earlier in the afternoon, Yahya Staquf announced that the
President had ordered Coordinating Minister for Political, Social
and Security Affairs Gen. (ret) Agum Gumelar and newly appointed
National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Chaeruddin to take legal
measures against any defiance within the police.

According to an official media release from the presidential
secretariat, Yahya did not specify any names, but clearly
indicated the targets were Bimantoro and Jakarta Police chief
Insp. Gen. Sofjan Yacob.

"This (the insubordination) is intolerable behavior in
relation to police discipline," Yahya quoted the President as
saying, without explaining when the President issued the order.

Marzuki said he had told the President shortly before his
media briefing that the statement of presidential spokesman Yahya
Staquf on Bimantoro had caused unnecessary complications and
public unrest.

When asked further by a foreign journalist about the detention
order, Marzuki said in English, "I am authorized by the President
to say that no order has ever been issued by the President".

Marzuki acknowledged that the President -- in a meeting with
Agum, presidential military secretary Vice Marshall Budhy Santoso
and Marzuki on Tuesday -- asked Agum to apprehend Bimantoro for
his alleged insubordination against the President, but then
softened his stance after being met with Agum's immediate
disapproval.

The President then entrusted Agum to resolve the case and did
not mention a specific deadline for the settlement, Marzuki said.

Separately, Agum acknowledged that he had rejected
Abdurrahman's order against Bimantoro, saying only the President,
and not he, had the authority to apprehend Bimantoro, who is on
annual leave.

"The National Police chief's immediate commander (who can
punish the police chief) is the President," Agum, who had boasted
that Bimantoro would hand over his power to the President on
Saturday, was quoted as saying by Antara.

Chaeruddin, who was assigned by the President to take over
Bimantoro's day-to-day duties, insisted he only knew about the
arrest order from TV news. "It is impossible to issue an order
through television," Chaeruddin said.

Bimantoro defied the President's decision to dismiss him last
month because, according to the People's Consultative Assembly
decree, the appointment and replacement of National Police and
military chiefs must have the prior approval of the House of
Representatives.

Bimantoro's promotion to the position last year did not have
the prior approval of the House either.

When contacted by city police reporters via his cell phone,
Bimantoro, who was reportedly in Singapore, said: "I am willing
to account for my actions, and those of my men in the field at
any time to the President. I am absolutely sure that I have
performed my duty as police chief, to the best of my abilities."

Separately, Sofjan stated on Thursday that he was ready to be
arrested by the President.

"Yes, I am ready. However, I have never acted against the
President or disobeyed him," Sofjan lightheartedly told
reporters.

Despite Sofjan's relaxed attitude and Bimantoro's cool
reaction, over 60 officers, fully armed with AK-101 rifles and
other firearms, arrived in two police trucks and a police
evacuation vehicle at 4:50 p.m. on Thursday, at Bimantoro's
residence on Jl. Pattimura in Kebayoran, South Jakarta.

However, by 10 p.m. last night, their presence was no longer
visible, soon after Marzuki's announcement. (ylt/prb)