"By appointing an acting police chief, Jokowi might have delayed the inauguration of Commr. Gen. Budi Gunawan as national police chief. But this will act as a "time bomb"," LSI researcher Denny JA Ardian Sopa cautioned here on Tuesday.
In its latest public opinion poll, LSI has found that the vast majority of the Indonesian people wished that Jokowi soon appointed a definitive police chief by involving the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
"The public believe if there is no definitive police chief, the polices solidity will be disrupted. The delay in appointing a definitive police chief with the KPKs involvement will force the public to question the Presidents stance," he noted.
He remarked that the President could actually inaugurate Budi Gunawan as new police chief, but chose to put the inauguration on hold after the KPK named him a graft suspect.
As such, the House of Representatives (DPR) that has endorsed the appointment of Budi Gunawan as police chief will not feel betrayed, he added.
"It will not pose a serious problem. Admittedly, the inauguration will ruin state tradition, although it is intended to merely resolve the inauguration process. The most important consequence will be that he will be suspended soon," he observed.
So, Jokowi can urge Budi Gunawan to abandon his candidacy for national police chief, he pointed out.
"Budi Gunawans willingness to abandon his candidacy is one of the solutions," he emphasized.
President Jokowi issued two decrees on Friday (January 16): one dismissing Gen. Sutarman as national police chief and the other appointing Deputy Police Chief Commr. Gen. Badrodin Haiti as acting national police chief.
The decision was taken after National Police Chief hopeful Commr. Gen. Budi Gunawan, despite Parliaments approval, was named a graft suspect by the KPK in connection with certain rewards that he allegedly received through suspicious transactions.
(s012/INE)
Reported by Rangga Pandu Asmara Jingga
EDITED BY INE
(H-YH)
(T.S012/A/KR-BSR/A/H-YH)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
