Jakarta – The National Police replaced on Friday Yogyakarta Police chief Brig. Gen. Haka Astana Mantika Widya with Brig. Gen. Oerip Soebagyo, due to several violent incidents that threatened security in the city.
However, Yogyakarta Police spokeswoman Adj. Sr. Comr. Anny Pudjiastuti denied reports that the rise of violence in the city was the reason behind Haka's replacement, who had served as provincial police chief since April 8, 2013.
"Pak Haka was promoted by one rank. He was one of 17 senior police officers who were promoted and rotated," she said as quoted by tempo.co on Friday. Anny said the National Police routinely promoted and rotated senior officers to fill empty positions and to offer a chance to low-ranked officers to advance their careers.
A confidential telegram from the National Police headquarters issued on Tuesday referred to Haka's promotion to become an expert staff member to the National Police chief on management issues, replacing Insp. Gen. Jody Rooseto. Meanwhile, Oerip was previously the deputy chief of the South Sumatra Police.
Separately, Kusno Utomo, head of supervision and investigations for Jogja Police Watch, said the National Police had done the right thing by replacing Haka, who had been deemed incapable of resolving the recent cases of religious violence and crimes in Yogyakarta.
"We thank [National Police chief] Pak Sutarman for what he has done; our voices have been heard. We hope that the new Yogyakarta Police chief will be firmer and can solve the cases so that security can be enforced once again," he said.
Previously, National Police Commission (Kompolnas) member Syafriadi Cut Ali said the Yogyakarta Police had not yet introduced significant measures to prevent religious-based violence in the province, incidences of which have increased recently.
On May 31, a mob attacked a Catholic congregation in a house in Sleman regency. The house belongs to Julius Felicianus, director of the Galang Press publishing house and a campaign manager for presidential hopeful Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. The following day, the Islamic Jihad Front (FJI) and the Islamic People's Forum (FUI) stoned a Pentecostal church in Pangukan, Sleman, claiming the absence of a building permit. (gda)