Regional leaders misinterpreted

Regional leaders misinterpreted

From Koran Tempo

The recent rejection of Brig. Gen. Ismeralda Lebang as North
Sulawesi's regional police chief candidate, which was voiced by
various social groups in Manado, is ironic and will be an
offensive precedent in similar cases in other provinces.

Professional career promotion within the National Police
always considers the assignment of cadres, so that whatever
office is chosen for the relevant officer, there is nothing to
argue unless the track record is poor.

The resistance of regional communities to military and police
functional appointments is in fact relatively more lenient than
to governors' designation. However, if such opposition still
takes the form of a street demo without clear motivation, it will
increase the confusion in interpreting personnel assignment like
that involving Ismeralda Lebang. While military and law
enforcement institutions are no longer affected by issues of
religion, ethnicity or regionalism, it is indeed tragic if career
functions are misunderstood in regions.

In the event of other regions imitating the move, the nation
will only be wasting its energy to question the eligibility of a
region's functional appointment when the relevant post is not
filled by an indigenous figure. This also reflects a mistaken
application of regional autonomy, with the assumption that all
positions must be held by leaders of local or regional origin.

Indonesia should of course be run by the country's best sons,
who are ready to be assigned anywhere in this vast archipelago.

ACHMAD TAHIR RATU

Jakarta