TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
COMMENTARY: Thanks to Rizieq, Gen. Tito's political career to skyrocket
Many probably do not realize that Tito has practically become the country’s second-most powerful man after Jokowi, and firebrand Muslim cleric Rizieq Shihab deserves the biggest credit for Tito’s political fortune.
Change Size
Stay alert -- National Police chief Gen.Tito Karnavian explains the result of a case screening of Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama's alleged blasphemy in a press conference in Jakarta on Nov.16, 2016. (Antara/M.Agung Rajasa)
N
ational Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian has shown that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s decision to name him head of the police corps in July 2016 was the right move. Tito succeeded in neutralizing political upheavals and antigovernment rallies, mostly through silent operations.
The 53-year-old police chief is now the President’s most effective aide not only on security but also economic and political matters. He may have replaced Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Gen. (ret) Luhut Pandjaitan as the President’s security czar and therefore has a great opportunity to go far beyond his current post.
Many probably do not realize that Tito has practically become the country’s second-most powerful man after Jokowi, and firebrand Muslim cleric Rizieq Shihab deserves the biggest credit for Tito’s political fortune.
Don’t laugh. One day, just before the presidential election in 2019, Tito will be seen visiting Rizieq at the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) headquarters in Petamburan, Central Jakarta, or somewhere else. Tito will hug FPI leader Rizieq and even kiss his cheek, because if not for Rizieq, President Jokowi would not have picked Tito as his running mate in the presidential race. And of course Tito will ask for the cleric’s blessing.
Such a scenario of course is based on current political development, which has witnessed Tito emerge as the President’s right hand man who managed to tame opposition and anti-government groups with minimum political risk.
“Habib, thank you for all street demonstrations that you led, your [hate] speeches and anti- everything acts. Now I stand a big chance of winning the vice presidential post precisely because of your tireless efforts to destabilize the government and frighten minorities,” Tito, who will be 55 at that time, tells the FPI leader.
Born in the South Sumatra capital of Palembang on Oct. 26, 1964, Tito graduated from the Police Academy in 1987. He holds Master degrees from the United Kingdom and New Zealand and a PhD from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University. He specializes in counterterrorism.
