Megawati shows support for police chief Bimantoro

JAKARTA (JP): President Megawati Soekarnoputri showed her approval of Gen. Surojo Bimantoro as the rightful National Police chief, when she handed him the command baton during his courtesy call on Tuesday.

Having been openly defiant against deposed president Abdurrahman Wahid over their differences of opinion, Bimantoro visited Megawati at the vice presidential palace in Central Jakarta on Tuesday, with the baton in hand.

Then president Abdurrahman ordered Bimantoro to return the baton, the symbol of leadership of a force that comprises nearly 200,000 personnel. Abdurrahman also ordered stern measures against Bimantoro for his disloyalty.

During the meeting with Megawati, Bimantoro handed over the command baton, but the newly inducted President handed it back.

During the visit, Bimantoro was accompanied by city police chief Insp. Gen. Sofjan Yacob, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Didi Widayadi and National Police inspector-general Comr. Ahwil Luthan.

A staunch supporter of Megawati, Bimantoro had earlier been vocal against a presidential decree ordering a state of emergency.

He was appointed by Abdurrahman without prior approval of the House of Representatives in September last year and after nine months was dismissed without the approval of legislators.

Abdurrahman then selected Gen. Chaeruddin Ismail, as caretaker National Police Chief.

An hour before Megawati was sworn in as President in the Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) on Monday, Didi Widayadi announced that Bimantoro had resumed his duties as the National Police chief.

Didi told The Jakarta Post that one of Bimantoro's first duties on Monday morning, was to issue an order for the police investigation into eight mid-ranking police officers, who had led some 150 middle-ranking police officers to stage a revolt against Bimantoro on July 9.

Didi said on Tuesday that the National Police Internal Affairs was still in the process of interrogating seven of them, on charges of insubordination.

They were identified as Sr. Comr. Bambang Widodo, Sr. Comr. Parlindungan Sinaga, Sr. Comr. Alfons Leomau, Sr. Comr. Nurdin Umar, Sr. Comr. Badaruzzaman Haidir, Sr. Comr. Herman Kotto, Sr. Comr. Banjar Nahor and Sr. Comr. Salihin.

The eight officers also held a meeting on Sunday evening at a cafe in Menteng, Central Jakarta, where they declared the MPR Special Session illegal. They insisted that police should not only disband the session, but arrest city police Insp. Gen. Sofjan Yacob, for providing security at the session.

Unlike other officers who responded to the summons for questioning over the alleged insubordination, Sr. Comr. Alfons Leomau failed to turn up and was declared a fugitive.

Rumors have also circulated that Chaeruddin could also be among those slapped with insubordination charges, but no police officers were able to confirm this. (ylt)