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