Jakarta (Antara Bali) - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo will soon announce a decision regarding the sole police chief candidate Budi Gunawan (BG) who has been named a suspect in a bribery case by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
"The president is facing a situation wherein the police chief candidate has been approved by the Parliament, but, in reality, he has been named a suspect. It is not easy to find a solution to the dilemma. It will better if Mr BG withdraws. If not, this dilemma has to be solved. At the end, the president must take a decision," Minister/State Secretary Pratikno stated here on Tuesday.
He said President Jokowi is basically following the existing legal process and hopes that every party will also support the process.
President Jokowi recently postponed the induction of Commissioner General BG as the new national police chief after he was named a suspect by the KPK, although the parliament has approved BG's candidacy.
He later sought views of various prominent figures including former president B.J. Habibie and retired general Prabowo Subianto regarding the polemic on the appointment of BG as the sole police chief candidate and the ongoing dispute between the KPK and the National Police.
The head of state set up a nine-member Independent Consultative Team for advice regarding the police chief issue and the ongoing conflict between the police and KPK.
The team suggested Jokowi to not induct Commissioner General BG as the new national police chief in order to preserve the institution's honor.
"The president must assure that any law enforcement official who has been named a suspect must resign or not hold any official post to preserve the honor of the police and the KPK institutions," Syafii Maarif, the chief of the Independent Consultative Team, recently noted after a meeting with Jokowi. (WDY)
