Susilo tells Sutanto to fight graft, get tough on terrorism

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.