Police Crisis Deepens as Chief Detective Purged Over Closeness to KPK: Source

Jakarta Globe, Farouk Arnaz, Jan 16, 2015

A soufe within the police said Suhardi had been removed as chief detective
because of his perceived closeness to the KPK. (Antara Photo/Yusran Uccang)

Jakarta. The chief detective of the National Police is to be fired because of the controversy surrounding the appointment of corruption suspect Budi Gunawan to lead the Indonesian police force.

A source within the National Police said that chief detective Suhardi Alius was being removed from his position after he was deemed incapable of securing Comr. Gen.Budi’s appointment as police chief.

“[Suhardi] was phoned by the National Police chief [Gen. Sutarman] himself last night,” the source said on Friday. “Suhardi was deemed incapable of securing Budi’s appointment so he was seen as an unprofessional chief detective.”

It is understood that the police tasked Suhardi with ensuring Budi’s appointment went through with as little turbulence as possible. Suhardi believes this role did not fall within his job description as the country’s head detective.

Insp. Gen. Budi Waseso has been lined up to replace Suhardi.

Acting National Police chief Comr. Gen. Badrodin Haiti would not confirm or deny that Suhardi’s days were numbered, but he did say an official letter had yet to be signed.

“It’s indeed heading that way, the decision could be from the National Police chief himself or from the president, but the official document has not been issued so I do not want to get ahead of myself,” Badrodin said.

Suhardi said he would accept being forced out, but denied any wrongdoing.

Suhardi said he believed he was removed from office because he was close to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Financial Transaction Report and Analysis Center (PPATK). Both institutions have led the investigation into Budi Gunawan’s alleged corruption.

“I have definitely been slandered, I am close to KPK and PPATK in the capacity of my job as the [chief detective],” Suhardi said.

Budi Waseso said he was ready to take over, and launched into an astonishing public criticism of his colleague, Suhardi.

“I am ready. A traitor should not be allowed to stay within the National Police, even if he did not commit a betrayal he was incapable of doing his job,” Budi said.

“Until my last drop of blood I will defend the honor of my institution,” he said. “The situation within the National Police is no longer solid.”

Surveys show that the Indonesian people view the National Police as the country’s most corrupt institution.

President Joko Widodo’s decision to appoint Budi Gunawan as the new police chief to replace Sutarman has created an entirely avoidable crisis.

Budi has long been linked to corruption cases after PPATK found several irregular transactions in his bank accounts.

Tension heightened when the KPK named Budi a corruption suspect after months of investigation, and right after getting the nod from Joko.

Despite Budi Gunawan’s status as a graft suspect, Joko refused to withdraw his nomination and the House of Representatives still cleared him on its fit-and-proper test.

A plenary session at the House held on Thursday also officially approved Budi as the new police chief, prompting anger from the public.

Elsewhere, Tempo reported that KPK chief Abraham Samad had met with the president on Thursday night. Abraham told Tempo he had briefed Joko on the investigation into Budi Gunawan, but this was denied by Vice President Jusuf Kala, who said the meeting was a general update on corruption-eradication initiatives.

Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan talks to journalists after completing

 the fit-and-proper test at the House of Representatives building in 

jakarta, on Jan. 14, 2015. (JG Photo/Afriadi Hikmal)

Related Article:

Jokowi Delays Appointment of Graft Suspect Budi as Police Chief