House backs Sutanto as police chief
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Barring unforeseen obstacles, Comr. Gen. Sutanto will take over from Gen. Da'i Bachtiar as the National Police chief in the coming few weeks.
Major factions in the House of Representatives, including self-styled opposition party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), have thrown their weight behind President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's choice of Sutanto.
House Speaker Agung Laksono, who is also the Golkar Party deputy leader, said the legislature would complete its deliberations on Sutanto's nomination before recess on July 8.
"The House has urged the President to replace the National Police chief following the recent series of bombings," Agung said.
Susilo ordered Da'i to arrest fugitive Malaysian bomb experts Azahari bin Husin and Noordin Moh. Top in the first 100 days of his term as President. The two terror suspects have been accused of being responsible for a string of bomb attacks in the country since the 2002 Bali blasts that left 202 people dead.
House security commission chairman Akil Mochtar said Sutanto would fit the bill for police chief due to his clean track record. The commission would interview him before endorsing his nomination.
Sutanto is the sole candidate for the job.
Separately, House PDI-P faction leader Tjahjo Kumolo said his grouping had "no problem" with Sutanto's appointment.
"He's the right man and his track record is quite good," Tjahjo said.
He said he expected the next police chief to continue the reforms within the police so as to help the force increase its independence and professionalism.
Susilo said that the need for regeneration of the police leadership was behind his nomination of Sutanto, who was only appointed the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) chief and promoted to the rank of commissioner general less than six months ago.
Both Sutanto and Susilo were named the best graduates in their respective forces in 1973.
"The replacement is aimed at rejuvenating the police leadership. Pak Da'i has been in office for nearly four years. Obviously, he has given enough service to the nation and the country," Susilo told the press.
Sutanto, 53, is one year younger than Da'i, who also led the BNN before former president Megawati Soekarnoputri appointed him police chief in 2001.
Like Da'i, Sutanto is the sole candidate for the police's top post.
But Akil played down the fact that only one name had been proposed to the House, which could be considered as presenting a fait-accompli to the national legislature.
"It's better to have only one nomination as a number of nominations could spark conflict within Commission III, which has to interview the candidates," Akil said.
The House has 20 days to respond to the nomination after receiving the presidential nomination, unless the President bypasses the process.
The Police Law enacted in 2002 extends the retirement age of police generals from 55 to 58. It remains unclear what position Da'i will assume after being replaced, but rumors have been circulating that he will be awarded a compensatory ambassadorial post.
Sutanto had been touted as Da'i's replacement ever since Susilo won the presidency. Sutanto was known for his crackdowns on gambling while chief of the North Sumatra Police and East Java Police respectively.
Da'i said that he had been told he would be replaced by the President on Sunday night.
"It is the President's prerogative to dismiss the police chief and pick his successor. Let's just wait for the process to run its course," Da'i said.
He added that he would prepare a manual for his successor on what the national police had and had not done in order to help the new police chief get to grips with his job.
Susilo had previously said a change in the leadership of the police would coincide with a major reshuffle of the military leadership. But Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi said the President had yet to seek a replacement for Indonesia Military chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto.
"No, not yet. There is no such plan thus far," Sudi said.