Jokowi nominates Badrodin as new police chief

JAKARTA. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has finally canceled the inauguration of police chief candidate Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan and has instead decided to nominate police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Badrodin Haiti as new police chief candidate.

“First, acknowledging that Budi Gunawan’s nomination as police chief has created a polemic within society, in an endeavor to ease the situation and [keeping in mind that] unity in the National Police requires that they need to be led by a definitive police chief, today we propose Comr. Gen. Badrodin Haiti as the new police chief candidate,” he said in a press conference at the Presidential Palace on Wednesday.

Jokowi, who was accompanied by Vice President Jusuf Kalla, said further that he would propose Badrodin to the House of Representatives for endorsement.

It is assumed that the President’s decision will spark strong opposition from the House, which previously endorsed Budi’s nomination and expected he would be inaugurated after his suspect status was invalidated by the South Jakarta District Court on Monday. This will open a chance for the House to use its interpellation rights to look into the possibility of impeaching the President.

If the House accepts the President’s decision, Badrodin will have to wait a month before undergoing a confirmation hearing until the House reconvenes in the middle of March. Badrodin’s nomination could also trigger a polemic as he is one of several police generals with suspicious bank accounts.