New chief asked to study purity of protests
JAKARTA (JP): City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Mochammad Hindarto has asked newly-installed precinct police chief of Central Jakarta, the capital's nerve center, to focus his attention on demonstrations and strikes.
Hindarto made the remarks yesterday after he inducted Lt. Col. Murawi Effendi, 45.
"The strong wave of openness has also brought fresh air to the country and, in turn, stimulated some people into staging street protests to air their opinions."
"However, a number of protests staged in this area were apparently organized by third parties who intended to take advantage of them," he said. He encouraged the new precinct chief to check into all protests to see who was really behind them.
Hindarto cited recent protests against the government's decision to ban three weekly publications and strikes by the city minibus drivers to protest the enforcement of high traffic fines in front of the state-owned Radio Republic Indonesia (RRI) on Jl. Merdeka Barat as examples.
"Pure protests are legal, but those plotted by irresponsible parties must be blocked," he explained.
Hindarto, therefore, asked Murawi to take proper measures to prevent demonstrations before the protesters go to the street.
The two-star police general was apparently referring to Central Jakarta's role as the nerve center of the national as well as municipal governments.
President Soeharto's offices, the presidential palaces, and the vice presidential offices are located there.
Some ministries, including the Ministry of Defense and Security, and other vital agencies such as state-owned television TVRI, state-owned RRI and the state telecommunications companies are located in Central Jakarta as well.
Lt. Col. Murawi Effendi replaces Lt. Col. Dadang Garnida, who was promoted to chief of the Palembang Police in South Sumatra.
Murawi's previous position was chief of the Tanjung Priok Port Police. Murawi, a father of three, graduated from the Police Academy in 1973.
"I have no formal training beyond what I got at the academy," he told The Jakarta Post.
Silent
Murawi would not comment on how he plans to carry out Hindarto's advice.
"Let's not talk about this issue now," he said.
Murawi's predecessor, Dadang Garnida, said that he hopes he will not have any crowd control problems in Palembang like those he faced with protests in Jakarta.
"I pray to Allah that there will be no protests there, especially those staged by journalists," he said referring to a number of protests following the banning of the Tempo, DeTIK and Editor weeklies.
Hindarto also instructed Murawi to take immediate measures in tackling the increasing number of white-collar crime cases in the mayoralty, which is home to many business activities in this country.
"We all have to be alert and further improve our capability and professionalism to fight against any new crime," he said.
According to a tentative schedule, Hindarto will install the remaining six of eight chiefs of police precincts under the City Police Headquarters this month. The induction of the eight police precinct chiefs is a part of a major reshuffle. (bsr/has)