Nurfaizi installed as new natioanl police spokesman

Nurfaizi installed as new natioanl police spokesman

JAKARTA (JP): National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman Astrosemitro yesterday installed Brig. Gen. Nurfauzi as the new Indonesian Police spokesman replacing Brig. Gen. IK Ratta, who went into retirement.

The appointment of Nurfaizi, 49, a top Jakarta detective, has been warmly welcomed by crime reporters.

"We really hope that Pak (Mr) Nur won't change his good relation with us and that he better realizes the need of the media and police policy," said Erwin Tambunan from Bisnis Indonesia daily.

In the past few years, a number of reporters have been banned from covering news at police stations nationwide. The blacklist, sent to all police stations, the Indonesian Journalists Association and chief editors of respective media, was issued after police found that the reporters made serious mistakes in their coverage.

However, some senior reporters view Nurfaizi as a low-profile officer who refuses to comment in detail about any case.

"Sometimes, he even runs away from reporters to avoid being questioned," said a senior crime reporter, who refused to be named.

Known as one of the most competent detectives in the country, rumors in police circle has it that Nurfaizi will be in his new position only for a few months.

"The position is only a stepping stone so he can be promoted to a more important position," said a senior officer.

Nurfaizi, the first 1971 graduate of the Indonesian Armed Forces Academy who received the rank of general, handed over his post at Jakarta Police last month to Col. Adang Rismanto, head of the Semarang Police in Central Java.

Previous positions he has held are deputy chief of the Central Jakarta Police, chief of the Jakarta Port Police, chief of the North Jakarta Police, chief of the West Jakarta Police and personal secretary to the former chief of National Police.

Besides Nurfaizi, Banurusman also installed two other generals in new positions. Maj. Gen. Karyoso was appointed assistant to the National Police chief for Planning Affairs to replace Maj. Gen. Yusnan H. Usman, and Maj. Gen. Soebandi coordinator of expert staff to the chief to replace Maj. Gen. Hadiman.

In another related development yesterday, Jakarta Police Chief Maj. Gen. Dibyo Widodo installed three heads of directorates.

Col. Ansyar Roem, head of the Central Java Traffic Police Directorate, was appointed head of the Jakarta Traffic Police to replace Col. Soeroso, who has been promoted to join the National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas) before being assigned to his new post.

Col. Sumardi, head of the On-the-Alert police directorate in East Kalimantan, was installed to lead Jakarta's On-the-Alert police directorate, replacing Col. Heniyoso Gunawan, who has been assigned as an executive of the Police Academy in Semarang.

Col. Indro Warsito, head of the Operational Command and Control Center of the North Sumatra Police, was installed as the commander of similar directorate in Jakarta, replacing Col. Muhantojo, who has been assigned as the new Kediri Police chief in Central Java.

According to Jakarta Police Spokesman Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna, chief Dibyo will also separately install five of the nine chiefs of police precincts under the supervision of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police beginning today.

Iman said yesterday that the first ceremony is scheduled to be held today for the installment of Lt. Col. SY Wenas, head of the South Jakarta Police, as the new Central Jakarta Police to replace Lt. Col. Murawi Effendy, who has been promoted to head of the Palembang Police in South Sumatra.

On Monday, head of the investigation unit of the Jakarta Traffic Police, Lt. Col. Herman SS, will be installed as the new Depok Police chief, to replace Lt. Col. Sisno Adiwinoto, who will be installed on the next day as the South Jakarta Police chief.

On March 14, head of the Bandung detectives, Lt. Col. Ari Soebowo, will be officially installed as the new chief of the Jakarta Port Police, replacing Lt. Col. Timbul Sianturi.

The latter has been appointed as head of the intelligence unit of the South Kalimantan Police.

The last ceremony will be held in Tangerang during which Lt. Col. Djoko Satryo, currently head of the Jakarta Police Narcotics Unit, will be installed as the new chief of the Tangerang Police.

His predecessor, Lt. Col. Hari Setyabudhi, has been appointed as secretary to the chief of the Central Java detectives. (bsr)