"We received a letter from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono this morning at 10 a.m., proposing Commissioner General Sutarman`s name as the sole candidate for the new national police chief," Deputy House Speaker Priyo Budi Santoso revealed on Friday.
He added that after the letter was signed, the President and the House of Representatives will immediately hold a leadership meeting to discuss the matter.
Santoso stated that the President had asked the House of Representatives to endorse the chief of the National Police`s Crime Investigation Department as the candidate for the new National Police chief.
"After the leadership meeting, the decision will be made known at a plenary meeting for further discussion at the Bamus (the consultative board). Later, the House of Representatives leadership will assign Commission III to conduct a fit and proper test for Sutarman," he added.
Santoso said he hoped the sole candidate would be able to work professionally and be neutral and not be influenced by any other institutions.
"Seeing his reputation and track records I believe Sutarman`s confirmation by the House of Representatives will be smooth because he is also a senior official. I am convinced national problems can be settled well by him," he said.
"The House of Representatives feel comfortable with Sutarman`s nomination. I believe the House of Representatives, especially Commission III, will find no problems with him and everything will run smoothly as Sutarman is a good man with great capacity and capability. We are comfortable with him," Santoso pointed out.
Commissioner General Sutarman is also former adjutant of the late former president Abdurrahman Wahid and before he was named Chief of the Crime Investigation Department, he was Chief of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Command.
Commmision III member Eva Kusuma Sundari from the opposition Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle stated that she hoped the new police chief would replace current police Chief General Timur Pradopo and would uphold neutrality and not side with certain authorities.
"I hope that the new police chief will be neutral. In 2009, I saw the police chief tended to side with the Democrat Party and the President`s family," she said.
Sundari added that the police chief`s neutrality was important, especially in 2014, which is a politically crucial year on account of the parliamentary and presidential elections being held that year.
She further said that she hoped the new police chief would also be firm, which was another important quality needed in a police chief.
"I said that because I have seen urgent need for police response to pressure from outside," she said.
In view of that, she said the new police chief could reform the police force and boost the institution`s integrity.
"In essence, the next police chief must be able to improve the integrity and culture of the police force," she said.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
