Patrol boats in poor condition

Patrol boats in poor condition

JAKARTA: National Police Chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro expressed
concern on Wednesday over the poor condition of police patrol
boats.

"Out of 10 patrol vessels of Type A, eight are out of order
because most of them were made between 1950 and 1963," said
Bimantoro.

Speaking at a ceremony for the launching of five patrol boats
made by state-owned shipbuilding company PT PAL, he added that,
of the eight boats that were out of order, two had sunk.

When asked to comment about the nomination of Comr. Gen. Da'i
Bachtiar to replace him, Bimantoro, who will retire on Nov. 1,
said that Da'i is one of the five candidates advanced by the
high-ranking official promotion board.

He just asked that whoever would replace him has to be
entrusted to the existing mechanism. "This is the prerogative of
the President," he said, referring to President Megawati
Soekarnoputri's decision to nominate Da'i as the new police
chief.

He said that in line with the police bill, there would only be
one candidate proposed to the House of Representatives.

"If there are people questioning the nomination, it's their
own business," he said. -- Antara