Indonesia's president expected to drop Budi Gunawan as police chief pick: sources

[JAKARTA] Indonesia's president is expected to drop Budi Gunawan as his choice for national police chief after the police general was named a corruption suspect, two palace officials with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

President Joko Widodo's candidate was last month named a suspect in a bribery case by the country's anti-graft body, forcing the president to delay the inauguration and sparking tensions between the two law enforcement agencies.

Two palace sources, who were present at private meetings where Widodo announced he would drop Mr Budi as his nominee, said the president is considering other candidates for police chief.

"Budi Gunawan will not be police chief, the president has already decided," said one senior palace official, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue.

REUTERS