Analyst questions choice of chief

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Mon, 06/19/2006 1:24 PM  |  Jakarta

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A police expert has expressed doubt that Insp. Gen. Adang Firman, who is replacing Insp. Gen. Firman Gani as Jakarta City Police chief, is the right man for the job, given his age and track record.

""The Jakarta Police chief must be young, energetic and strict, especially when dealing with militants,"" Indonesian Police Watch chairman Neta S. Pane told he Jakarta Post. ""Adang is older than Firman. He graduated from the Police Academy in 1973, while Firman graduated in 1974.""

As a capital city, Jakarta has a certain degree of social complexity, which provides police with more of a challenge than other cities. One prominent element is that Jakarta is home to fundamentalist religious and ethnic groups, which have often clashed with other organizations and disrupted public order.

The city police recently named Betawi Brotherhood Forum chairman Fadloli el-Muhir a suspect in a defamation case, but Neta said Firman was considered ""too soft and slow"" in his dealings with the group. ""It took a lawsuit from ex-first lady Sinta Nuriyah to take action against them.""

Therefore, Neta said, Firman's successor should know how to deal with fundamentalist groups such as the FBR and the Islam Defenders Front (FPI). ""He must also have the political will to eradicate illegal fees and thuggery in the city,"" he said.

Neta suggested National Police Chief Gen. Sutanto's decision to pick Adang Firman, who was once West Sumatra Police Chief but has generally had an unremarkable career, was based on outside factors.

""Adang is Gen. Sutanto's peer as both studied in the same year in the Police Academy. I'm afraid that the fact influenced the decision,"" he said.

The National Police has promoted 21 officials through a confidential telegram sent on June 16, with the appointment to become official 14 days after the issuing of the telegram.

Firman Gani is now the principal of the school for police staff in Bandung, West Java. Adang was the head of the National Police's Operational Bureau. His position has been taken over by Insp. Gen. Sunarno, who previously headed the school. (01/04)

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