President Abdurrahman Wahid yesterday ordered the arrest of the police chief he has been trying to sack for weeks, widening the struggle over his impeachment by raising fresh allegations of politicking by the police.
Mr Wahid ordered officials to 'take firm legal action against those guilty of insubordination', including national police chief General Suroyo Bimantoro. Presidential spokesman Adhie Massardi said Jakarta's police chief, General Sofyan Yacob, might also face detention over an alleged plot to arrest the President.
General Bimantoro is thought to be in Singapore for medical tests and his arrest is unlikely. Dozens of heavily armed police backed by armoured cars gathered outside his house last night in a show of defiance to Mr Wahid.
Mr Wahid was said to be angered by a meeting of retired police officers and lawyers on Wednesday that called on the Supreme Court to hold a judicial review to declare Mr Wahid's bid to sack General Bimantoro illegal.
The arrest order follows a week of division within police ranks, a fortnight ahead of a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) that aims to impeach Mr Wahid. In an unprecedented move, more than 150 middle-ranking police officers met on Monday to call on General Bimantoro to follow Mr Wahid's order to step down.
'This matter has confused middle-ranking officers because General Bimantoro should actually submit to the President's orders . . . but this is something he has not done. Instead, he is defying presidential orders,' a senior commander, Alfon, told the meeting.
'I stress that this meeting is not being held to defy our superior officer [General Bimantoro], but there are rules and regulations that need to be followed.'
