Bucking for a Lone Candidate

BUDI Gunawan was among the guests of honor invited to witness Megawati Soekarnoputri receiving an honorary doctorate degree from Padjadjaran University in Bandung last week. Budi, currently the National Police deputy chief, sat in the front row along with Vice President Jusuf Kalla, former Vice President Boediono and Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo, listening to Megawati's acceptance speech.

Midway through her oration, Megawati, who was explaining the difficulties she faced trying to resolve legal issues pertaining to the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA), mentioned two people by name. They were Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yasonna Laoly and Budi Gunawan. "I noticed that the deputy police is here," said Megawati, acknowledging Budi's presence. He was Megawati's aide-de-camp when she was president from July 2001 to October 2004. So it was not unusual for the police commissioner general to be attending a ceremonial event honoring Megawati. However, it was a strange coincidence that the event in Bandung happened when National Police Chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti's term of office ends next July.