The police are capable!

Reading The Jakarta Post of Dec. 20 I found a very interesting article where a statement of an ex-police officer was quoted who has joined the public in criticizing the police for their inefficiency.

Koesparmono Irsan (a member of the National Commission on Human Rights), the ex-police officer in question, has insulted his own corps. He said that there were already strong clues that might shed light on the case, but without presidential intervention the police would be unable to unravel the murder of Theys Hilo Eluay any further.

What a strange remark! He is underestimating the capability of the National Police corps. In my mind the police are fully capable of solving the murder mystery. The National Police are an efficient organization, and I am convinced that they can accomplish their task.

In every murder case the murderer must be found and tried, irrespective of the position of the victim -- whether president, politician, teacher, thief or robber. Why then in this murder case is a presidential decree needed? Koesparmono said that without a stronger mandate in the form of a presidential decree the investigation would get nowhere. Why? Koesparmono should know the police better.

I can understand, although I disagree with his statement. He is just participating in the present fashion of creating committees and spending the government's meager finances. A high- ranking politician is thought to be involved in corruption. A special committee is deemed necessary to investigate the matter, while bigger corruption cases have been solved in the past without the need of such special committees. Koesparmono suggested the team consist of police officers, members of the military, prosecutors, NGOs and the rights commission. What a waste of time and money, while the police are capable of solving this problem.

SOEGIH ARTO

Jakarta