VZCZCXRO0044
PP RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #2012/01 3420406
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 080406Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4058
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS COLL
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 3691
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0014
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002012 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EB/TPP, EB/TPP/BTA, DRL, DRL/AWH, S/CT, INL 
FOR BARCLAY, DOJ FOR DAAG SWARTZ, ICITAP FOR TREVILLIAN/BARR 
DRL FOR JKIM 
FBI FOR SETUI/SSA ROTH 
NCTC WASHDC 
NSC FOR EPHU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON ETRD SNAR KJUS KCOR ID
SUBJECT: Organizational Hubris Damages the Indonesian National 
Police 
 
REF:  (A) JAKARTA 1944; (B) JAKARTA 1965; (C) JAKARTA 1950 AND 
PREVIOUS 
 
¶1. (SBU) This cable is sensitive but unclassified.  Please handle 
accordingly. 
 
¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY The row between Indonesian National Police (INP) 
and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has damaged the 
reputation of Police Chief Bambang Hendarso Danuri and that of the 
entire INP.   Danuri's preference for loyalty over performance, both 
in his attempt to retain Chief Detective Susno Duadji and later in 
replacing him with someone with a questionable reputation, damages 
the INP as an institution. 
Danuri's leadership style has negatively impacted morale among INP 
leadership, further eroded public confidence, and, for many, called 
into question his ability to promote institutional reform in the 
INP.  END SUMMARY 
 
 
All the President's Men 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) Danuri has a reputation as a perfectionist, micro-manager, 
and disciplinarian who takes few risks and promotes unquestionable 
loyalty.  All of these characteristics served him well throughout 
his career and made him former Police Chief Sutanto's single 
recommendation as his replacement to President Yudhoyono.  In the 
aftermath of the July 17 Jakarta bombings and the KPK controversy, 
Damuri personally chaired marathon meetings involving most of the 
police force's general officers. from  This has made day-to-day 
tasks and engagement with the INP challenging. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Danuri previously established a reputation as a strict 
disciplinarian.  Since his appointment in October 2008, he has 
disciplined or removed over 120 command officers from colonels to 
two-star generals. Danuri once removed an entire district police 
contingent for failure to satisfactorily respond to illegal logging 
activities in Kalimantan.  Many of these infractions were minor, but 
senior general officers were disciplined, usually within 72 hours of 
the infraction.  Two months ago, Danuri transferred almost 600 
mid-level and senior management personnel causing organizational and 
operational disruption. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Danuri's reluctance to reprimand Susno has compromised his 
leadership as rumors swirled around his subordinate.  Even after 
Susno issued inconsistent statements regarding his role in the Bank 
Century case and became directly implicated on tape in an alleged 
plot to frame two KPK Commissioners, Danuri continued to defend him. 
 Danuri stood by Susno after President SBY's Team of Eight 
recommendations that denounced the INP actions were made, framing 
his loyalty as a matter of law. 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) Personal loyalty was a major factor in the initial decision 
to retain Susno and to later replace him.  Danuri and Susno have 
longstanding ties to SBY, as does Susno's replacement Ito Sumardi. 
Susno and Sumardi are close friends and classmates, working together 
in Surabaya in 1999-2001.  Embassy officials have learned that an 
important factor in Susno's resignation negotiations was the promise 
that Sumardi replace him. Despite other more senior and qualified 
generals, and undisclosed gambling and illegal logging 
investigations against Sumardi while in Riau, Danuri tapped him to 
replace Susno. 
 
¶6. (SBU) In Embassy interactions, Sumardi comes across as a stalwart 
advocate of a closer relationship with the USG.  He is responsive 
and to date has been a progressive reform-minded interlocutor. It 
remains to be seen how he will manage the multiple pressures of the 
situation he has now inherited. 
 
Susno, A Muzzled Crocodile? 
 
¶7. (SBU) Susno, the former head of Indonesia's financial 
intelligence unit (PPATK), was the third most powerful man in the 
INP.  He was the gatekeeper to all major investigations managed by 
 
JAKARTA 00002012  002 OF 002 
 
 
his detectives, including the ongoing Bank Century scandal. The INP 
CID is not a sophisticated investigative body.  General officers 
often personally conduct sensitive investigations and involve 
themselves in handling evidence and interviews that more developed 
law enforcement organizations would delegate to junior officers. 
Susno held the advantage in understanding how financial 
investigations are processed and in his position had the power to 
direct or redirect any investigation. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Susno knows perhaps more than anyone else regarding the 
Bank Century investigation.  The question is what exactly he knows 
and whether he will remain quiet.  He was incensed and complained 
vociferously to Embassy officials when he found out his cell phone 
was allegedly tapped by the KPK.  Susno took this personally, and he 
has expressed his anger to anyone who would listen. 
 
INP on the Defensive? 
 
¶9. (SBU) What began months ago as  a conflict between the KPK and 
the INP has pushed the INP into a defensive posture.  As the 
investigation in to the Bank Century scandal heats up, the INP will 
likely find itself under increased public scrutiny.  The situation 
may prove too difficult for Danuri to manage the possible outcome. 
 
 
HUME