Journalists protest new police chief

Journalists protest new police chief

YOGYAKARTA (JP): The Yogyakarta branch of the Alliance of
Independent Journalists (AJI) sent a letter to the National
Police Chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro on Friday, protesting the
decision to promote Brig. Gen. Mulyono Sulaiman as Jakarta Police
chief.

In a two-page letter signed by the AJI's vice chairman Heru
Prasetya and secretary Tjahjono EP, the group urged the National
Police chief to negate the promotion and instead question Mulyono
over the handling of the 1996 murder case of journalist Fuad
Muhammad Syafruddin, alias Udin, while he was then the Yogyakarta
Police chief.

The alliance said Mulyono was not the right person for the
post, because he had proved himself incapable of solving the
murder case.

"When he was the Yogyakarta Police chief, his men committed a
fatal error by wrongfully arresting Dwi Sumaji alias Iwik in
October 1996 for the murder case...while evidence and witnesses
concluded that it was not so," the statement said.

Bantul District Court finally freed Iwik from all charges due
to lack of evidence on Nov. 3.

"The promotion of a particular figure to such a post should
take into consideration his or her achievements and track record.
The National Police Headquarters should have a clear quality
standard for the position of police chief," the statement said.
(swa)