House to ask Da'i over press attacks

Kurniawan Hari and Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

House of Representatives legislators intend to summon National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar for an explanation following a series of violent attacks perpetrated by his men against journalists on assignment.

House Commission I, which oversees the mass media and information affairs, condemned the poor example set by the police and threatened to cut the police budget.

"We've agreed to summon the National Police chief. The time of the meeting is being arranged," commission chairman Ibrahim Ambong told the media on Tuesday.

His deputy Effendy Choirie added that the hearing would be held very soon as the current legislative session would end on July 19.

Both Ambong, from the Golkar Party, and Effendy, from the National Awakening Party (PKB), were commenting on the violence that erupted outside the House building on Monday when protesting students started to fight with police officers.

Four photojournalists were beaten by police officers while taking pictures, and dozens of students were injured.

The incident was ironic given that on the very same day the force was marking its 56th anniversary with pledges by senior officers that it would improve its professionalism.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri in her speech marking the occasion handed down eight directives to the force, including an order to abstain from using force and to instead use the law as the police's most effective weapon.

Effendy said that with the latest incident, the police had further damaged their already tarnished image.

"We regret and condemn the unlawful acts of the police," he said.

Fellow commission member Herman Datuk Rangkayo (Reform faction), warned the public of the possible revival of repression by police officers.

Herman urged the police to launch an investigation into the incident. "An apology is not enough. There should be a thorough investigation."

Indonesian Police Watch secretary-general Adnan Pandupradja blamed such incidents on the lack of direct control by superiors despite what was stated in the police's internal procedures for handling mass protests.

"There should be a reevaluation of the procedures or the directives issued by superiors to their men before being deployed. And a warning should always be given to avoid committing rights abuses," Adnan told The Jakarta Post.