Concerns over a leadership crisis within the National Police have mounted following President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo'€™s recent decision to dismiss Gen. Sutarman as police chief amid escalating opposition to the inauguration of a graft suspect to lead the institution.

Deputy National Police chief Comr. Gen. Badrodin Haiti said on Monday that he had appealed to all police personnel to maintain unity amid circulating reports of looming infighting between different factions within the force.

'€œThis morning I told all personnel that we should not be suspicious of each other or ignite friction. There should be no separate groups within the police force. We should all be united,'€ Badrodin said at the Presidential Palace.

Jokowi discharged Sutarman on Friday after postponing the inauguration of his replacement, Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan, who was declared a graft suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) the day after Jokowi requested the House of Representatives endorse Budi'€™s nomination.

National Police detective division chief Comr. Gen. Suhardi Alius, meanwhile, followed Sutarman to the chopping block.

Jokowi did not disclose the reasons behind the dismissal of Sutarman and Suhardi, but speculation is rife that the pair had provided evidence to the KPK in relation to Budi'€™s alleged misdeeds, in an act of opposition to the latter'€™s nomination.

After taking office on Oct. 20, Jokowi'€™s relations with Sutarman quickly soured, with many pointing to the slow progress in the prosecution of figures from the Obor Rakyat tabloid accused of defaming Jokowi during last year'€™s presidential campaign. The tabloid falsely reported that Jokowi was a Christian of Chinese descent

The National Police named the tabloid'€™s founder, Setiyardi Boediono, and its editor, Darmawan Sepriyossa, suspects in the case in July. Setiyardi was at the time an assistant to the special presidential staff in President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono'€™s administration, while Darmawan was a senior editor at online news portal inilah.com.

A source at the National Police said that Sutarman had requested an audience with Jokowi in private in early December to deny allegations that he was more loyal to Yudhoyono than to the new President.

Jokowi'€™s hasty dismissal of Sutarman ahead of his retirement in October has raised fears of opposition from Sutarman'€™s loyalists.

Factions within the police are created based on bonds formed during their cadet time at the police academy and by patronage nurtured by political elites, including the president.

Badrodin'€™s appeal for unity to some 380,000 police personnel nationwide was deemed crucial amid escalating worries expressed by retired high-ranking police generals and observers who have pointed to a leadership crisis in the police force.

Former National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. (ret) Oegroseno said on Saturday that since Badrodin would not rise in rank, it would be difficult for him to enforce orders among fellow three-star generals.

'€œHe will be facing difficulties in consolidating power among the three-star generals,'€ he said.

'€œThe police'€™s public service may be affected if Badrodin fails to enforce his orders.'€

There are currently nine three-star generals with the National Police, divided into factions based on graduation class and patronage.

Badrodin, who was among a number of generals to have held bank accounts considered suspicious by a money-laundering watchdog in 2010, insisted on the solidity of the police.

'€œI am the National Police deputy chief who has taken over the authority as well as the responsibility of the National Police chief,'€ Badrodin said after a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Palace.

He emphasized that his authority would include strategic decisions on personnel rotation and budget spending.

Security observer Bambang Widodo Umar argued, meanwhile, that internal opposition would rise because there were still legal debates surrounding Badrodin'€™s appointment, reflecting external interference from politicians.

Bambang questioned the use of a government regulation, instead of the 2002 Law on National Police, to justify Badrodin'€™s assignment.

'€œThe President can issue any regulation as a basis for his decision to appoint Badrodin because it'€™s part of the president'€™s prerogative. But it must with comply the law,'€ Bambang said.

Several lawmakers, however, have noticed the legal flaw and demanded that Jokowi immediately appoint a permanent police chief or risk a House of Representatives inquiry.

The House'€™s Commission III overseeing legal and security affairs is scheduled to finalize a plan to file an inquiry against Jokowi on Tuesday.

The plan has gained support from the majority of lawmakers from both the ruling Great Indonesia Coalition and the opposition Red-and-White Coalition.

'€œThe appointment of the acting chief has violated Article 11 of the 2002 Law on the National Police. We are demanding an inquiry be made into the President,'€ Commission III chairman Aziz Syamsuddin said.

• Dismissal of police chief and ally believed to be result of pair'€™s active opposition to appointment of Budi Gunawan
• Fears mount of factionalism, breakdown in authority

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