Susilo tells Sutanto to fight graft, get tough on terrorism

Eva C. Komandjadja and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono swore in Gen. Sutanto on Friday as the new National Police chief, asking him to address the many problems facing the country, including corruption and terrorism.

During a ceremony at the State Palace, he told Sutanto to focus on a number of major tasks -- corruption, illegal logging, drugs, gambling, street crime and transnational crimes such as terrorism.

The President also asked Sutanto, a former head of the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), to accelerate the slow paced reform drive within the police force, which is notorious for corruption within its ranks.

However, Susilo did not say anything in his speech about the ongoing investigation into last year's murder of noted human rights activist Munir.

Susilo urged the police under Sutanto's leadership to put the fight against corruption on a higher footing.

"I can see that those involved in corruption are striking back in various ways, ranging from attempts to influence (bribe) the KPK and anticorruption team to raising calls to disband the team," he said referring to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the government's special anticorruption team.

The government, Susilo said, has placed the anticorruption at the top of its agenda as corruption "hurts the people and disgraces the country before the international community".

"I know that those involved in corruption are powerful and have enough money to threaten (the anti-corruption movement). But they will never be able to hold back the people," he asserted.

Sutanto replaced Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, whose time in office was marred by several deadly bomb attacks in the country.

Many criticized Da'i for his failure to capture the country's two most wanted terror suspects, Malaysians Azahari Husin and Noordin M. Top, who have been accused of masterminding several bomb incidents, including the 2002 Bali bombings, the 2003 Marriott Hotel blast in Jakarta, and the blast in front of the Australian Embassy last year.

After the ceremony, Sutanto said that he would continue the programs of his predecessor, while adapting them to take account of recent developments.

"I will do my best to comply with the president's instructions," said the 55-year-old officer, who has developed a reputation as being tough on gambling.

Sutanto was the only candidate nominated to replace Da'i. The House of Representatives approved the president's choice, clearing the way for Sutanto to take the top spot in the police.

The new police chief was promoted to four-star general on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Da'i said he hoped the new chief would be vigilant as regards transnational crimes, drug trafficking, terrorism and street crime.

"The prevailing economic problems open the door to the emergence of various new types of crime, particularly street crime, and as police officers we have to be ready for this," Da'i said.