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ough jobs, including providing President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo with recommendations on police chief candidates, await the nine new members of the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) who were sworn in on Friday.

The inauguration was held amid speculation that Jokowi might extend the tenure of current National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti, who is set to retire in July.

Last year, the controversial nomination of politically connected Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan, who is now the deputy police chief, sparked a public outcry and resulted in a prolonged standoff between the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the police.

The brouhaha also put former coordinating political, legal and security affairs minister Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno in the spotlight as Jokowi said his decision on Budi was based on a recommendation from Kompolnas, for which Tedjo was formerly chairman.

Jokowi claimed at the time that he had asked Kompolnas about Budi’s dubious bank transactions and had received a letter clarifying the accounts.

Among the new Kompolnas members are Imparsial human rights campaigner Poengky Indarti and former Papua Police chief Yotje Mende, who failed in last year’s vetting process for KPK leadership.

Other new members are retired police executive Bekto Suprapto, Police Staff College lecturer Andrea H. Poeloengan, Benedictus Bambang Nurhadi, an executive at advocacy association Peradi and Dede Farhan Aulawi, an executive at the Golkar Party-affiliated organization Kosgoro.

Aside from the six, Jokowi also named three Cabinet ministers as Kompolnas head and members: Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan, Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo and Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly.

The law stipulates that Kompolnas must comprise three members representing the government, three with expert policing backgrounds or former police officers and three representing the public.

Yasonna confirmed that one of the commission’s biggest challenges in the near future was “the national police [chief] nomination”.

However, he did not elaborate further, while Luhut played down speculation over Badrodin, saying he had “not yet heard about it”.

The National Police Law states that police officers should retire at 58 years of age, while those with special skills needed for police tasks could continue to work until the age of 60.

Badrodin, who is 57 years old and scheduled to retire this year, has said he is ready if the President opts to extend his tenure.

“If people ask me whether I am ready or not, it is like asking me whether I am ready to be a police officer. And [to extend] is the President’s prerogative, so as a soldier, I have to be ready. I am fine with retirement, and if I cannot retire, I wouldn’t mind,” Badrodin said at the National Police headquarters.

Separately, National Police spokesperson Boy Rafli Amar said the police could only provide suggestions related to Badrodin’s replacement.

“We will give suggestions to the government if they ask […] as we do not have the authority to decide about that. The President is the one who has the authority to extend the chief’s tenure,” Boy said.

Presidential spokesman, who was temporarily KPK leader, declined to comment on Badrodin.

Luhut, meanwhile, added that Kompolnas would hold a meeting in the near future to decide who would have the authority to speak publicly on behalf of the commission, to prevent conflicting statements from its members being made to the public.

Although the nine new Kompolnas members were inaugurated on Friday, they will only take office next Thursday, a day after the current members end their tenures. (wnd)
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