Budi Waseso: (Antara)

Newly appointed National Police detective division chief Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso, 52, spent most of his career in the police'€™s intelligence division and as an internal supervisor prior to his ascension to the rank of one-star general.

As an intelligence officer, Budi was once posted in Malaysia as a liaison to police intelligence at the height of counterterrorism measures to apprehend the perpetrators of the Bali bombings.

In 2005, Budi was rotated to the internal and supervisory division in different police regions and in the National Police where he served under then division chief Insp. Gen. Budi Gunawan in 2010. Graft suspect Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan was recently endorsed by the House of Representatives as the next National Police chief, but his inauguration was postponed by President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo.

It was not until 2010 that Budi Waseso grabbed national attention after he apprehended then National Police detective chief Comr. General Susno Duadji, who was declared a graft suspect by the police, following his rivalry against then National Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri.

As chief of the National Police'€™s internal security division, Budi rushed to arrest Susno at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Banten after the latter'€™s attempt to fly to Singapore for a short visit.

Attempts by Budi and several other officers to persuade Susno to give himself up peacefully were recorded by several television stations. After around an hour of negotiation, Susno finally agreed to be arrested but on the condition he would not be cuffed.

Many praised the courage displayed by Budi, who was then three ranks below Susno as Sr. Comr. officer.

In 2012, Budi was promoted to one-star general and was assigned to the role of police chief for Gorontalo, a backwater province in the east of the country that is around a 5-hour flight from Jakarta.

But his regular three-year tour of duty there was cut short in 2013 in the midst of his ongoing investigation into a graft case implicating Gorontalo Governor Rusli Habibie and many of his agency heads.

Then National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo raised Budi'€™s rank to a two-star general but moved him to serve as the head lecturer at the police'€™s Staff and Command School (Sespim), which is under the auspices of National Police education and training division chief Budi Gunawan.

The removal sparked speculation that the National Police were aiming to halt his investigation into alleged misappropriation in the distribution of free, basic foodstuff in the province.

The National Police Commission (Kompolnas) revealed that Rusli subsequently sent a letter to Timur, urging Budi'€™s dismissal.

Budi said at the time that there were plots to remove him from the post. '€œThey are plotting to remove me from Gorontalo but, of course, the police leadership will not be easily swayed by this,'€ he said.

Rusli was also aided by Gorontalo Legislative Council speaker Rustam Akili, to rally political support to oust Budi from his position.

Shortly after serving as head lecturer, Budi Gunawan promoted Budi Waseso in 2013 as the head of education and training for high-ranking officers.

As Budi Gunawan'€™s confidant, Budi Waseso was installed as National Police detective division chief on Monday, replacing Comr. Gen. Suhardi Alius, who along with dismissed National Police chief Gen. Sutarman are speculated to have provided evidence to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in relation to Budi Gunawan'€™s alleged misdeeds.

Although Suhardi and Budi Waseso are from the 1985 police academy class, they are known to have a strong rivalry.

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