"I have not yet decided who to nominate as the new national police chief to replace Gen. Badrodin Haiti, who is set to retire on July 24," Joko Widodo said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo has yet to decide who will replace Gen. Badrodin Haiti, set to retire on July 24, as the national police chief.

"I have not yet decided who to nominate as the new national police chief to replace Gen. Badrodin Haiti, who is set to retire on July 24," Joko Widodo said here on Tuesday night.

President Joko Widodo was yet to receive a recommendation letter containing the names of two candidates, namely Budi Gunawan and Budi Waseso.

The President has not yet decided the criteria to select the police chief.

Earlier, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) had let it be known that he was still considering feedback from various parties about the candidates and also studying the possibility of extending the term of the outgoing police chief, General Badrodin Haiti.

"For sure, I will listen to the feedback from the National Police (Polri), the National Police Commission (Kompolnas), and the community. Certainly, while making a decision, I will abide by the existing rules and laws," Jokowi stated here on Tuesday.

The government has not made any decision on whether to replace or extend the term of General Haiti, he remarked.

The president claimed he had not received a proposal for candidature from Kompolnas.

On Monday, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung had observed that the President had the prerogative to decide whether to replace General Haiti or extend his term.

Kompolnas Chief Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, concurrently the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, reportedly presented a list of candidates for the job to the head of state.

In the meantime, a legislator noted that five officers of the Polri could be candidates for the departments top job, replacing the outgoing national police chief.

"These five police officers are Commissioner General Budi Gunawan, Commissioner General Budi Waseso, Commissioner General Suhardi Alius, Commissioner General Putut Bayu Seno, and Commissioner General Safruddin. I think all of them are capable of leading the Polri and making it an institution capable of protecting the people," Nasir Djamil, a member of Commission III on legal and security affairs of the House of Representatives, stated recently.

He was also of the view that the five police officers were competent enough to ensure the Polri remains a credible force and the public reposes its trust in the institution.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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