President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo'€™s decision to drop the nomination of Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan as National Police chief but then dismiss Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) commissioners Abraham Samad and Bambang Widjojanto could be seen as a compromise to ease mounting tensions between the KPK and police.

The Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) said the dismissal of Abraham and Bambang and the appointment of interim commissioners Johan Budi, current KPK prevention unit head, Taufiqurrachman Ruki, former KPK chief, and criminal law expert Indriyanto Seno Adji, could be seen as validation for the police'€™s efforts to criminalize KPK leaders.

ICW activist Ade Dahlan said the absence of a statement from Jokowi urging the police to stop prosecuting KPK leaders could still be the source of conflict between the two law-enforcement institutions.

'€œThe President should have ordered the National Police to stop the criminalization of leaders, staffers and investigators of the KPK,'€ Ade said in a statement.

Ade also said Jokowi should also take action to stop Budi from avoiding his graft prosecution by filing a case-review request against the South Jakarta District Court'€™s decision to rule the KPK'€™s decision to name the three-star general a suspect as illegitimate.

After weeks of indecision, a statement was issued on Wednesday by the State Palace dropping the candidacy of Budi and announcing the decision to nominate deputy police chief Comr. Gen. Badrodin Haiti as police chief.

Jokowi has submitted Badrodin'€™s nomination to the House of Representatives, which is expected to hold a confirmation hearing in late March as the lawmakers began a month-long recess on Thursday.

The President has also decided to dismiss Abraham and Bambang and name three interim commissioners until their terms expire in December this year.

The President is expected to issue a government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) to allow him to install Ruki, Johan and Indriyanto as KPK'€™s interim leaders.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Jokowi also '€œinstructs the police and asks the KPK to abide by the laws and code of conducts in order to maintain harmony between state institutions'€.

Many have praised Jokowi for his decision to drop Budi, a move which many see as against the wishes of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the political party that nominated him in the July 9 presidential election.

Jokowi supporters grouped under the Pro-Jokowi Volunteers (Projo), said they were proud of the President'€™s decision.

'€œThis shows that President Jokowi is able to make a wise and resolute decision in the midst of a chaotic situation. This proves that Jokowi listens to the people'€™s aspirations,'€ Projo chairman Budi Arie Setiadi said as quoted by kompas.com.

Analysts, however, have said Jokowi'€™s problems are far from over.

Political analyst Michael Buehler said the PDI-P could demand more from Jokowi, now that its candidate was dropped from such an influential post.

'€œShould he retain PDI-P support, his government would face growing pressure to appoint more Megawati loyalists to key posts within the government and bureaucracy,'€ Buehler said as quoted by Reuters.

He also said that Jokowi'€™s hesitation to inaugurate Budi had further strained his ties with his own political party.

'€œJokowi'€™s hesitation in appointing Gunawan has deepened rifts between him and a faction of the PDI-P,'€ he said.

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