JAKARTA. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo reminded the leaders of the National Police and the Indonesian Military (TNI) on Tuesday about their roles in ensuring national security, a condition that would support the country as it sought to reach its economic and developmental goals.
"I have ordered [them] to maintain stability and security so that economic targets, the targets of economic growth and infrastructural development, can be reached," Jokowi said after a closed-door opening ceremony for the annual meeting of police and military leaders on Tuesday.
It was the first time that Jokowi attended such a meeting since he took office in October last year.
This year's three-day leadership meeting is aimed at enhancing consolidation in launching Jokowi's idea of a mental revolution, said spokesman for the National Police Sr. Comr. Rikwanto.
Both military and police officials will engage in a joint discussion during the first-day of the meeting. On the second and third days, the police and military will hold separate meetings.
Also attending the opening ceremony was National Police deputy chief Badrodin, military commander Gen. Moeldoko, Coordinating Minister for Political, Law and Security Affairs Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno, National Intelligence Agency (BIN) Chief Marciano Norman and Administrative Reforms Minister Yuddhy Krisnandi.
The meeting was also held amid rivalries between the police and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), which many believed was ignited following Jokowi's previous decision to pick Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan as the sole nominee for National Police chief.
The KPK immediately named Budi a graft suspect, in a move which eventually forced Jokowi to drop Budi's nomination and picked Badrodin as the new police chief nominee.
Two KPK suspended leaders, Bambang Widjojanto and Abraham Samad, were later named suspects by the police. (Ina Parlina)