Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – Indonesia's defiant police chief General Suroyo Bimantoro yesterday promoted and reshuffled 138 middle-ranking officers, in an apparent bid to garner more support within the fractured police force.

This latest reshuffle came amid an on-going controversy over the legitimacy of his leadership, following his dismissal by President Abdurrahman Wahid. It also followed last week's promotion of hundreds of middle-ranking officers by the President.

Police spokesman Inspector-General Didi Widayadi said yesterday's changes had been planned long before Mr Abdurrahman announced he was removing Gen Bimantoro from office. But observers noted that several of the general's critics were among those promoted. This suggested that Gen Bimantoro was intent on wooing officers who had criticised him for defying the President's dismissal order by refusing to step down from his post.

Mr Abdurrahman had announced in early June that he was dismissing Gen Bimantoro. He then said he was making him "non-active" after the general – complaining that Parliament had not been consulted – refused to step down from his office. In a further show of defiance, the general has thus far refused to relinquish the symbol of his power – the command baton – to Commissioner-General Chaerudin, whom the President has appointed as deputy police chief.

Gen Bimantoro's defiance has driven a wedge between his loyalists and supporters of Gen Chaerudin. Last week, 150 middle-ranking officers demanded that Gen Bimantoro resign and thereby reduce tensions within the police force.

Said criminologist Adrianus Meliala, who works closely with the police department: "In the police force, it is common that when someone is seen as being too critical of the police leadership, their career would be over as long as that police chief is still in power. "By not doing anything to some of these officers who clearly supported Chaerudin, and by even appointing them to better positions, Bimantoro may be trying to make a point that he could be worth supporting."

While some continue to question the legitimacy of the sacked police chief's move, one high-ranking officer told The Straits Times that the promotion letters signed by Gen Bimantoro were legitimate as he has not officially handed over command to Gen Chaerudin. "His dismissal by the President was not done according to the correct procedure, therefore Gen Bimantoro remains the police chief and has the rights to reshuffle or promote officers," the officer said.

Gen Bimantoro has appealed for a judicial review of his dismissal and of the appointment of Gen Chaerudin as deputy chief – a position that, according to the latest police regulations, does not exist.