Jokowi to Explain Scrapped Appointment of Budi Gunawan at House
1 April 2015 13:38 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo plans to shed light on the scrapped appointment of Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan as the National Police chief candidate before lawmakers of the House of Representatives in a consultation meeting slated for either Thursday, or Monday next week.
“The content of the explanation will be prepared by the president, accompanied by related ministers,” said Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, after meeting with House leaders at the parliament complex on Wednesday, April 1, 2015.
Tedjo, accompanied by Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo, met with lawmakers Setya Novanto, Taufik Kurniawan and Agus Hermanto for 45 minutes. “It is finally agreed that the president will elaborate on the issue himself,” Tedjo said.
He added the president would also illuminate other issues in the planned meeting, including about government regulations in lieu of law, interim leaders of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and economic issues.
Tedjo shrugged off rumors that the planned arrival of the president at the parliament was attributed to political pressures from the House. Tedjo said the president sought to maintain sound communication with House leaders. “There is nothing wrong in having a meeting and drinking coffee together, no?” he said.
During Monday’s House plenary meeting, a number of lawmakers had demanded Jokowi appear before the House to elucidate the cancelled appointment of Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan as the next top cop. The House’s Commission III overseeing legal affairs said they would not hold the so-called “fit-proper-tests” for Badrodin Haiti—the new police chief candidate—pending further clarifications on the presidential letter number R-16/PRES/02/2015.
INDRI MAULIDAR