The police are capable!

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