Major police reshuffle planned

JAKARTA (JP): National Police deputy spokesman Brig. Gen. Edward Aritonang announced on Friday that a major reshuffle involving 45 high-ranking and middle-ranking officers would soon be effective.

The reshuffle includes the replacement of four provincial police chiefs of West Nusa Tenggara, Yogyakarta, South Sumatra and South Sulawesi.

Aritonang, however, stressed that the replacements were routine for reviving leadership.

"It is an ordinary tour of duty and the process has been carried out through the National Police's high-ranking promotion council," Aritonang added.

He said the replacements were based on a decree signed by National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro on Sept. 17.

Aritonang said the transfer of duties would be conducted within two weeks after the issuance of the decree, adding that reshuffles were conducted periodically at the National Police Headquarters.

The decree stipulates, among other things, that National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Didi Widayadi will replace Insp. Gen. Soeparto as South Sumatra Police chief.

The replacement also includes the appointment of Yogyakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Saleh Saaf as the new National Police spokesman. He will be replaced by Insp. Gen. Wahyu Saronto, the National Police's deputy director of intelligence, Aritonang said, adding that Brig. Gen. Iman Haryatna, the East Java Police deputy chief, would be promoted to West Nusa Tenggara Police chief.

Speculation circulating at National Police Headquarters hinted that the reshuffle was partly aimed at preparing Didi as a successor for Bimantoro, who will reach his mandatory retirement age in November.

Didi's name was mentioned as one of five candidates for the National Police chairmanship proposed by the National Police's high-ranking promotion council.

"A National Police chief must have experience in leading a provincial police detachment, while Didi has spent most of his career behind a desk serving the state secretary," one police source said. (emf)