Hoegeng attends police anniversary ceremony

JAKARTA (JP): Retired police general Hoegeng Imam Santoso, long ostracized by the service he once led because of his political views, attended Bhayangkara Day celebrations yesterday to mark the 51st anniversary of the National Police.

It was the first time that Hoegeng, who led the force from 1968 to 1971, had donned his police uniform for some time.

"This is kind of heavy. I think it must be the stars," the 75- year-old Hoegeng quipped when reporters approached him for comment.

"I have not worn this for a while. Thank God it still fits.

"Of course I've missed the ceremony. But then I was never invited," said Hoegeng, who went to the ceremony at the headquarters of the Police Mobile Brigade in Kelapa Dua, East Jakarta, in a car given to him by the National Police chief.

Hoegeng was dismissed from his post in 1971 at the height of an investigation into a massive luxurious car smuggling racket.

Known for his simplicity -- he often rode a bike to his office even when he was chief of the National Police -- he became a vocal critic of the government in the 1980s when he joined the Group of 50.

Like other members of the group, he was ostracized from public affairs and struck off guest lists for official functions, including those held by the National Police.

Hoegeng said that in the past the National Police chief had only asked for his blessing before Bhayangkara Day. But on Saturday, National Police Chief Gen. Dibyo Widodo personally took an invitation to his house.

Asked whether he detected a change of heart in the government, he said: "I don't know."

"Were you surprised by the invitation?" reporters asked.

"No, not really," he replied.

Hoegeng's presence at the ceremony followed the attendance of other equally critical former military officers at several official functions.

Gen. (ret.) Abdul Harris Nasution, the first Army chief of staff and known for his staunch criticism of the government, attended the ceremony to mark last month's transfer of the Army chief of staff post from Gen. Hartono to Gen. Wiranto.

Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Arief Kushariadi, who attended the National Police ceremony, also hinted that he might invite Ali Sadikin, a retired marine lieutenant general who has led the Group of 50, to Armada Day in November.

"We will consider it," he said when reporters asked whether he would invite Sadikin, who also served as Jakarta governor in the 1970s.

"In principle, the Navy respects all its seniors," Arief said. (imn/emb)