Police deny endorsing Megawati

Police deny endorsing Megawati

Abdul Khalik and Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta

Police admitted on Monday that a video compact disc (VCD)
recording of a police meeting in Banyumas, Central Java, was
genuine but denied accusations that they had sided with Megawati
Soekarnoputri in the July 5 presidential election.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Paiman said that the VCD
clearly showed Banyumas Police chief Sr. Comr. Andi Mapparese
telling family members and retired police officers to vote
according to their conscience.

"The Banyumas Police chief, in fact, never told the audience
to vote a particular candidate. He just reviewed every
candidate's track record. So, it is not true that police
campaigned for particular candidates," said Paiman.

However, in the VCD police showed to the media on Monday, the
Banyuwangi Police chief and his wife did point out several
disadvantages the police may face if candidates other than
Megawati won the election.

Aside from Megawati, other presidential candidates were Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, Wiranto, Amien Rais and Hamzah Haz.

Paiman insisted that Andi and his wife only gave guidance to
police families and retired police officers in his area with no
intention of campaigning for Megawati.

"Besides, it was normal that regional police chief like Andi
met with family members and retired police officers in his area.
In fact, it was just a regular meeting," said Paiman.

He added that National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar had
twice instructed police officers across the nation to stay
neutral long before the meeting, which was held in Banjarnegara.

The Association of the University of Indonesia Alumni (Iluni)
Jakarta office presented the video to the media for the first
time on Sunday and demanded that Da'i resign from his post
immediately for failing to keep the national police neutral.

Paiman further said that police had formed a special team
comprising detectives, internal affair officers and Central Java
police officers to investigate the case.

Secretary of the Mega-Hasyim Success Team Heri Achmadi
regretted Iluni's move to expose the controversial VCD, which he
said was propaganda.

"Iluni in its capacity as an intellectual organization should
have determined whether or not the VCD was authentic before
exposing it to the public, or give it to the police for further
investigation," he said here on Monday.

Meanwhile, Banjarnegara Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Widiyanto
said he had set up a team to sue Iluni and others involved in
distributing the VCD.

"I have the original of the VCD, and during the meeting there
was no instruction for police families or retired police
personnel in the regency to vote for a particular presidential
candidate," he said.

Widiyanto acknowledged that some 60 police officers and their
relatives attended the meeting held on May 29, and several who
came from remote areas were given between Rp 10,000 and Rp 20,000
in travel expenses.