Dubious bank accounts worth more than Rp 1 trillion (US$103 million) allegedly owned by a low-ranking Papua Police officer are the latest specimens of how deep the roots of corruption run in the National Police. The Jakarta Post's Yuliasri Perdani looks into the approaching shake-up in the leadership of the force and looks forward to the promised installation of integrity.
With President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono eager to replace National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo (due to retire in January) as soon as possible, 12 candidates have been shortlisted by the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) for the top job.
High performance and an impeccable track record are not the focal points in the appointment of a police chief, not in Indonesia.
Traditionally, the seniority culture in the police and the president's political interests have been the determining factors, irrespective of integrity issues.
Based on these "rules", the word from the National Police and the Presidential Palace put two candidates ahead of the field: criminal investigations chief Comr. Gen. Sutarman, 55, and Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Putut Eko Bayuseno, 51.
Sutarman is one of the senior generals at the top of the National Police while Putut is one of Yudhoyono's inner circle, the President's aide for four years.
Despite the differences in their CVs, both have two outstanding traits in common: A complete lack of substantial accomplishments and wealth out of all proportion to anything they have legally earned. These generals earn less than Rp 12 million (US$1,240) a month, but live in swank compounds in South and West Jakarta.
Given the existing regulations on the police, there is no chance of an outside candidate with unimpeachable integrity leading the force of around 550,000 personnel and initiating the crucial reform. The choice, such as it is, comes down to the lesser of two evils.
Almost all high-ranking officers have vast and dubious wealth, rendering them impotent to combat graft internally. "Integrity is probably last on the list. Yudhoyono will appoint an ally whom he trusts, just like when he selected Timur in 2010. Timur was his subordinate on a peacekeeping mission in Bosnia in the 1990s," said Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) chairman Neta S. Pane.
The appointment of Timur, who was then Jakarta Police chief, caught many by surprise. He was not even among the candidates proposed by his predecessor, Bambang Hendarso Danuri.
Timur's appointment was made only hours after he was promoted to three-star general (commissioner general) from two-star general (inspector general). Only a three-star general can be appointed to the top job.
Timur's appointment was not a reward for his performance, but a compromise between factions in the perfidious force.
Timur's equivocal leadership qualities, coupled with intense internal rivalries, have taken their toll on police performance both in law enforcement and internal antigraft measures.
According to Neta, there is a strong chance that SBY will take the same path and appoint Putut. Yudhoyono's adjutant in 2009, Putut, led regional police forces in Banten and West Java before, astonishingly, he was made Jakarta Police chief last October.
The highlights of his terms in Banten and West Java were deadly conflicts between the Ahmadiyah minority and Sunni majority.
Al Araf of human rights group Imparsial is concerned that Putut's appointment would provoke more senior generals. "Because he is considered a junior, Putut's appointment would stir up discontent that would impact the force's performance," he said.
Sources within the National Police whisper that many senior generals would prefer Sutarman in the job despite his disturbing track record of plotting against the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
Sutarman openly opposed the KPK investigation into Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo. Djoko, who is accused of pillaging a Rp 200 billion project when he was head of the National Traffic Police Corps. Sutarman gave the nod for Bengkulu Police to attempt to frame KPK investigator Comr. Novel Baswedan for a shooting in 2004.
Sutarman was adjutant to president Abdurrahman Wahid in the early years of the millennium and, like Putut, has headed up the forces in Jakarta and West Java. "Sutarman has always been known as a 'good boy' by the President," analyst and retired police officer Sr. Comr. Alfons Lemau said.
Aside from Sutarman and Putut, another former presidential adjutant, Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan, 52, is also on the list. Budi, now chief of the National Police's education division, was assistant to Megawati Soekarnoputri between 2001 and 2004.
Budi reportedly maintains amicable relations with Megawati, chair of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the main opposition party, with a fair chance of winning the 2014 general election.
Neta sees Budi's potential as a political bargaining chip for SBY whose Democratic Party is floundering in a mess of graft and infighting. "If Yudhoyono is aiming for reconciliation with Megawati, Budi will get the post," Neta said.
Budi's track record, however, is even less impressive than the two previously mentioned deadbeats.
He was one of the 21 high-ranking police officers fingered for "fat" bank accounts in a leaked report by money-laundering watchdog the Financial Transaction Reports Analysis Centre (PPATK) in 2010, accused of receiving mystifying transfers from parties unknown worth Rp 95 billion ($9.78 million).
Budi, who denied any wrongdoing, said he "gained the money from legal businesses". The case has never been investigated.
Analysts have noticed two little-known generals who could be dark horses: West Kalimantan Police chief Insp. Gen. Anas Yusuf and the National Police's operational assistant, Insp. Gen. Badrodin Haiti.
Anas headed the team that arrested the elite graft practitioner and now convict, Nazaruddin, in Colombia in 2011.
"The Nazaruddin case has given Anas a certain momentum. He has a good track record. However, in our history, the head of West Kalimantan Police does not become National Police chief: The position goes to the chief of Jakarta Police," Alfons said.
Anas' classmate, and Timur's golden boy, Badrodin Haiti, who graduated at the top of his class, cannot be overlooked.
His resume includes the top job at East Java Police and a period as coordinator of the National Police expert staff. In 2009, he was the force's transnational crimes director.
Also in the running are National Police intelligence division chief Comr. Gen. Suparni Parto and National Narcotics Agency (BNN) chief Comr. Gen. Anang Iskandar. Their chances look slim as they are both due to retire in less than two years.
According to Kompolnas, the ideal successor to Timur must at least have two years left before retirement. Kompolnas member Edi Hasibuan also added that the next National Police chief should come from the same graduation year as future Indonesian Military (TNI) chiefs to guarantee that both forces have equal power in negotiations.
Yudhoyono is expected to appoint the successor to retiring TNI commander Adm. Agus Suhartono in August.
Timur, with assistance from the National Police's board for high-ranking promotions and transfers, is also expected to propose up to three names for his successor to the President, who also receives input from Kompolnas.
Deputy National Police chief Comr. Gen. Nanan Sukarna, who has quite a history of disputes with the KPK, said that the corps would only propose generals who were internally recommended.
Promotion and recommendation are typically driven by internal politics. Nanan is among the influential generals who grooms his juniors as his successors, including Sutarman and Budi.
"We measure them based on legality and legitimacy. Legality refers to their education and rank, while legitimacy is benchmarked on recognition by their subordinates, coworkers, direct superiors and the public," Nanan said.