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North Sumatra police chief cancels Papua gubernatorial bid
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Incumbent North Sumatra Police chief and former Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw (fourth right) registers his candidacy for the 2018 Papua gubernatorial election on June 12, 2017 at the Golkar Party Regional Executive Center n Jayapura. (JP/Nethy Dharma Somba)
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orth Sumatra Police chief Insp. Gen. Paulus Waterpauw has decided to cancel his plan to run for Papua governor in the 2018 regional elections and instead serve the police force for the remainder of his term.
"I have canceled the plan, because my term will last until 2022," Paulus said recently in Medan, North Sumatra.
Paulus said that his superiors had not intervened in connection with his decision to cancel his plan, claiming that although he had already garnered some support, he had simply decided not to proceed with his gubernatorial bid.
The former Papua Police chief had registered with the Golkar Party in order to contest the election for Papua governor. While Golkar executive Yorrys Raweyai had said earlier that the party might consider endorsing him, the party was later reported to have thrown its weight behind incumbent Lukas Enembe.
The National Police confirmed that Paulus had decided not to resign from the force, spokesman Insp. Gen. Setyo Wasisto said.
Paulus further said that most of the police personnel who were planning to resign in order to run in the regional elections were more senior than he and were nearing retirement.
Other senior police officers reportedly contesting this year's simultaneous regional elections include the National Police’s Mobile Brigade commander Insp. Gen. Murad Ismail, who will contest the Maluku gubernatorial election with the formal backing of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). East Kalimantan Police chief Insp. Gen. Safaruddin is running in the province's election and the National Police's deputy chief of education and training, Insp. Gen. Anton Charliyan, is being considered by the PDI-P as its candidate for the West Java gubernatorial election.
