Legislators reject Papuan police chief

Legislators reject Papuan police chief

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The appointment of the new Papua Police chief has met with
opposition from Governor Jaap Salosa and local lawmakers, who say
the selection process violates the special autonomy law that
applies to the province.

Yan L. Ayomi, a regional representative at the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR), and Papuan provincial legislators
Paskalis Kossay of the Golkar Party and Indarto Tanaya of the
Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said on
Friday that the appointment of Insp. Gen. Budi Utomow as the
provincial police chief by National Police chief Ge. Da'i
Bachtiar was not legitimate as it was not done in consultation
with the Papua governor.

Article 48 of Law No. 21/2001 on Papua special autonomy says
the Papua Police chief is appointed by the National Police chief
with the consent of the Papua governor.

"The National Police chief has to revoke the decree
stipulating the appointment of the new Papua Police chief," Yan
was quoted by Antara as saying.

Salossa confirmed the lawmakers' statement, saying he had
never been consulted by Da'i over the selection of Budi to
replace Insp. Gen. I Made Mangku Pastika.

The three lawmakers concluded that the unilateral appointment
of Budi was evidence of the National Police's reluctance to make
a break with the New Order centralistic paradigm.

Pastika has been transferred to the National Police
Headquarters as deputy chief of detectives. He is currently
leading the investigation into the bomb attack in Bali.

Da'i installed on Tuesday 17 new provincial police chiefs in
the biggest reshuffle since he took office last year.