Budi gets the Boot

It would be dangerous for the public to misunderstand the dismissal of Police Crime Investigation Division Chief, Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso. People might see him as a victim, as if he had been sidelined as a result of uncovering the hoarding of beef, the alleged corruption of Pertamina social funds or the Pelindo II crane case.

Waseso has claimed that all his actions were purely in the interest of law enforcement. This statement appears to be in accordance with Presidential Regulation No. 71/2015 in June. This regulation, which laid down the rules for the determination and storage of basic and important commodities, is too broad in scope, covering matters from the protection of production to the management of imports and exports. As a result, many of its provisions tend to be 'flexible', allowing them to be interpreted differently depending on the interests of the person using it. It seems this ambiguity has led the police to believe they had the authority to enforce the law in the real economic sector as well. For example in the case of stockpiling beef and rice, many of the police, who may have felt the 'call of duty', ended up being involved in the 'market' from top to bottom. When Waseso was fired, the public readily jumped to the conclusion that the president had fired a man who had done no wrong and who had simply been implementing a presidential regulation.

September 8, 2015