Anita Rachman, Jakarta – The House of Representatives rubber stamped the decision of House Commission III for security on Tuesday, paving the way for controversial Comr. Gen. Timur Pradopo to be sworn in as Indonesia's police chief.

The process during the plenary session took just 30 minutes to approve Timur to the post, including for commission deputy chairman Tjatur Sapto Edy to read the results of its fit-and-proper test.

Deputy House Speaker Priyo Budi Santoso, who lead the session, said the process went smoothly "as predicted". "We all know his track record," he said.

When the process was completed, Timur was asked to step forward and was applauded by the legislators.

Timur, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's sole nomination for the position, has been roundly rejected by a number of organizations, including Imparsial who questioned Timur's role as West Jakarta Police chief during the 1998 anti-Suharto riots at Trisakti University.

Later, he was Central Jakarta Police chief when 11 people were shot and killed during a protest near the Semanggi overpass in November 1998.

Timur said he had ignored summonses for questioning over the shootings by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) because there was an institutional policy against such cooperation at the National Police.

He has also been criticized for his "warm" relationship with the hard-line Islamic Defenders Front and for doubling his wealth in the past two years.

Timur would not comment to journalists at the House, saying only: "Thank you, I haven't been inaugurated."