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Tensions ease, 'back to work'
Jakarta Post - February 20, 2015
Leadership at the House of Representatives and major factions in the legislative body pledged that they would support Jokowi's decision to drop Budi and name National Police deputy chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti as his replacement.
Jokowi has proposed Badrodin's name for a confirmation hearing at the House, which is scheduled to take place in mid-March, when lawmakers are expected to return from a month-long recess.
The President also appointed three acting leaders to replace Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Abraham Samad and Bambang Widjojanto, who were named suspects by the police just days after the KPK named Budi a suspect on Jan. 13.
"As the House speaker, I respect the President's decision," House speaker Setya Novanto of the Golkar Party said on Wednesday, shortly after Jokowi made the announcement.
People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker Zulkifli Hasan of the National Mandate Party (PAN) called on all political factions at the House to allow Badrodin to undertake a fit-and-proper test.
"I think that what has been decided by the President is something that has gone through careful consideration. We welcome the decision. Let's give a chance to the new National Police chief candidate."
Zulkifli said that the appointment of Badrodin was a win-win solution for the sake of the Indonesian people.
Although members of civil society groups have called Jokowi's decision a compromise that would allow for the continued prosecution of the KPK – given his decision to also dismiss Abraham and Bambang – many believe that it could mark the end of a month-long political standoff.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla said he expected that the political situation could return to normal next week. "Next week will be the best week. The political situation will turn normal. There are no longer maneuvers against and for the government. We should all get back to work," he said.
Many have predicted that given the House's unanimous support for Budi, lawmakers may reject Jokowi's pick to replace him. Even the United Development Party (PPP), which until Jokowi's announcement on Wednesday continued to back Budi's candidacy, made an about-face on Thursday.
PPP chairman Romahurmuziy said that his party would support Jokowi's decision in nominating Badrodin. "We support the legality of his nomination," Romahurmuziy said.
Jokowi's own political party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), however, expressed its opposition to the decision. Some of the party's politicians have expressed outrage over Jokowi's surprise move to drop Budi's candidacy.
PDI-P lawmaker Trimedya Panjaitan, who is a deputy chairman of the House's Commission III, which would conduct a confirmation hearing on the National Police chief candidate, was visibly angered by the decision.
"We are really disappointed because Budi is not inaugurated," Trimedya told reporters after the PDI-P faction's internal meeting at the House on Wednesday, which wrapped up at about the same time as Jokowi's announcement.
Earlier, only hours before Jokowi's announcement, outspoken PDI-P lawmaker Effendi Simbolon warned that "even a President must obey the law" and reminded Jokowi to honor and comply with the House's official endorsement of Budi's candidacy.
He also cited that Jokowi's "disobedience" toward the House's decision could be considered in contempt of the legislature, which would consequently allow lawmakers to use their interpellation rights or even investigative rights to force the President to explain his decision before a formal House meeting. Effendi, however, declined to elaborate when asked if he and the PDI-P's 108 lawmakers would also exercise the rights.
Badrodin said on Thursday that following his nomination he would make the normalization of ties between the KPK and the police a priority.
"On a personal level, there is good communication with the KPK commissioners. However, since neither institution is very open with the other, there is often distrust even though everything seems well on the surface," he said.
When asked about whether the police would drop the case against Abraham and Bambang, Badrodin said he could not give a guarantee.
"Like any other criminal case, there are some requirements that must be fulfilled before it is dropped. We can't just drop cases willy-nilly," he said.
[Margareth S. Aritonang and Fedina S. Sundaryani contributed to this report.]
Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/02/20/tensions-ease-back-work.html.
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