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Jakarta Post

Jokowi gunning for general

The leadership of the National Police has sent a signal that the days of powerful Comr

Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Fri, September 4, 2015

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Jokowi gunning for general

T

he leadership of the National Police has sent a signal that the days of powerful Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso as the chief of the force'€™s detective division are numbered and that his dismissal is now just a matter of time.

Alluding to the possible dismissal of Budi, National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti said on Thursday that every member of the police force must be prepared for a high-level leadership rotation.

'€œSooner or later a rotation will happen. This will allow the force to regenerate,'€ Badrodin said after a meeting with Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

Badrodin also revealed that the National Police'€™s Rank and Promotions Council for High-Ranking Officers (Wanjakti) was discussing a possible rotation within the force that could involve Budi.

No final decision had been made as of Thursday evening, Badrodin said.

'€œI don'€™t know yet [if Budi will be transferred]. The Wanjakti is still discussing [rotations] for all high-ranking police generals,'€ he said.

Badrodin maintained that deliberation within the Wanjakti was crucial as there were several vacant positions within the force that needed to be filled.

He also said that in the event Budi had to leave his position, current investigations being handled by the detective division would continue as normal. Badrodin made the comment in response to speculation that the State Palace has ordered Budi'€™s quick dismissal.

Luhut himself had issued a number of statements urging that law enforcement and the corruption eradication campaign should be carried out without causing controversy or a commotion.

Since his inauguration in January as chief of the detective division, Budi has been a lightning rod for criticism for his controversial moves and public statements.

He was alleged to be responsible for the arrest of the then deputy chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Bambang Widjojanto, a move that led to a month-long stand-off between the antigraft body and the police.

The most recent maneuver made by Budi'€™s division was a raid conducted on Friday last week at the headquarters of state port operator PT Pelindo II in connection to the procurement of fixed crane-type loading and unloading equipment.

Pelindo II'€™s president director, RJ Lino, complained about the raid and maintained that the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) had already declared the company free from any irregularities.

The raid follows several other controversial moves, which included the fresh prosecution of graft cases involving the Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKKMigas) and the Pertamina Foundation.

Many have criticized Budi for conducting raids, but being subsequently unable to build strong cases against the individuals in the cases.

His controversial statements have also drawn the ire of the public and many civic groups have joined hands to circulate an online petition at the website change.org, calling for his dismissal. So far, the petition has garnered 19,524 signatures since it was initiated two months ago by Muhammadiyah Youth Association head Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak and Indonesian Civil Society Circle (Lima) chairman Ray Rangkuti.

Contacted separately, Budi said that he was not aware about any Wanjakti meetings, although he himself is a member of the council.

'€œSo far, I don'€™t have any knowledge about the [Wanjakti hearings] because if I really am the subject of discussion then I certainly can'€™t join,'€ he said at the National Police headquarters in South Jakarta.

Budi said that he would ready to leave his position if ordered.

Politicians from the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) have been vocal in rejecting the possible dismissal of Budi.

PDI-P politician Masinton Pasaribu said that the rumor of Budi'€™s possible dismissal had created anxiety within the force. '€œWe need more people like Budi Waseso. He is brave and resolute in cracking down on graft,'€ Masinton said as quoted by tribunnews.com.

Budi is the confidant of politically wired National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan, the best friend of PDI-P chairwoman and Jokowi'€™s patron Megawati Soekarnoputri.
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