Jakarta – Indonesia's police chief has revealed that the removal of his controversial chief of detectives was being considered since at least mid-July, following a public spat with a highly regarded community figure.
Responding to reports that it was President Joko Widodo who agitated for the removal of Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso, National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti said he first considered a transfer after a public backlash over Waseso's taunting of Ahmad "Buya" Syafii Maarif, a former chairman of Muhammadiyah, Indonesia's second-biggest Islamic organization.
Buya, who was appointed by Joko to a panel to find a resolution to an acrimonious dispute between the police and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), called on July 14 for Waseso to be fired for his blatant criminalization of KPK officials.
Badrodin, who at the time said the police would not bow to Buya's calls, told Tempo on Friday that it was indeed the former Muhammadiyah chief's remarks, and Waseso's response – "There's no need for him to comment or interfere in law enforcement matters when he doesn't even understand law enforcement" – that precipitated the moved to replace Waseso as the chief of detectives.
"In order to quell the public outcry, we decided that a rotation was needed so that we could focus on law enforcement, which is our main priority," Badrodin said.
He added the issue of moving Waseso to another post was discussed at several meetings since then. "We continued to look at the problem and evaluate it," he said. The order to finally remove Waseso came late on Thursday night.
The spat between Waseso and Buya was sparked by Waseso's office charging two judicial commissioners for recommending the suspension of a judge who had handed down a highly questionable and irregular ruling in favor of a police general, Budi Gunawan, named a suspect by the KPK for bribery and money-laundering.
Buya said at the time that it was ridiculous that the police would see fit to charge members of a government-mandated watchdog for doing their jobs.
"That's the sign of an official [Waseso] who lacks confidence. He's mentally unstable if he can so easily name people as suspects," the famously plainspoken Buya said. "I hope the nation no longer has to be led by someone as erratic as this."
He called on Joko to immediately order the dismissal of Waseso from his post. "How hard could it be? Just ask Haiti to replace him," he said.
Buya has made the call on several occasions since the KPK came under attack from Waseso's office after naming Budi Gunawan a suspect in January.
"This chief of detectives doesn't understand detective work," he told Vice President Jusuf Kalla during a meeting in March. "He doesn't have the least bit of competence or professionalism."