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House calls for Jokowi to name police chief candidate
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Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo (right) talks with National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti before a meeting on terrorism with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla at the Presidential Office on Jan. 21. (ANTARA FOTO/Yudhi Mahatma)
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awmakers from the House of Representatives have called on President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to follow existing regulations and submit a candidate's name for the role of National Police chief in light of the upcoming retirement of the current police chief.
Speculation has arisen that Jokowi could extend the tenure of National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti, who is set to retire in July at the age of 58.
The 2002 National Police Law stipulates that the President must appoint and dismiss police chiefs with the House's approval. The law does not stipulate the President's authority to extend the tenure of a National Police chief, chairman of House Commission III overseeing legal affairs Bambang Soesatyo said on Tuesday.
"In my opinion, just follow the rules to avoid unnecessary noise," the Golkar Party lawmaker told journalists at the House complex.
The decision was being referred up to the President, Bambang said.
Meanwhile, House Deputy Speaker Fadli Zon expressed his support for an extension of Badrodin's term, applauding the general's achievements in "creating a conducive situation for the country".
However, the Gerindra Party lawmaker said if Jokowi aimed to replace Badrodin then he must submit a new name as soon as possible, so it could be discussed at Commission III and receive official endorsement at a House plenary meeting.
Speaking separately, presidential spokesman Johan Budi Sapto Pribowo said Jokowi had not yet decided whether to extend Badrodin's tenure.
The president will involve the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) in discussions on appointing the country's new police chief.
Jokowi's party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), had rejected the idea of extending Badrodin's term, instead hinting that it would support deputy police chief Cmr. Gen. Budi Gunawan for the next term as chief.
Budi, a police general who was linked to a case surrounding the police’s so-called fat accounts, was nominated by Jokowi as a National Police chief candidate in January last year.
The proposal was met with protests from the public and anticorruption activists following the Corruption Eradication Commission’s (KPK) decision to name Budi a graft suspect. Budi then filed a pretrial motion to challenge the KPK’s decision and won the case, with the court annulling his suspect status. (rin)
