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.