Multa Fidrus
The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
Sr. Comr. Rumiah Kartorejo may still have a lot to prove, but for now she has lots of reasons to be proud.
The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
Sr. Comr. Rumiah Kartorejo may still have a lot to prove, but for now she has lots of reasons to be proud.
The friendly and soft-spoken police officer was appointed on Jan. 23 as the first woman to head a provincial-level police headquarters. Coincidentally, as the chief of the Banten Police, Rumiah will be working with Ratu Atut Chosiah, the country's first elected female governor.
Rumiah has spent most of her career in training and education at National Police education centers, including Selapa (advanced school for middle-ranking officers), Sespati (school for high-ranking officers) and Sespim (officer leadership school).
She said her commanders at the National Police expected her to be able to build good and intense communication with the governor of Banten.
"The National Police has placed its trust in a woman. This is a point of pride, but this is also a challenge for me to work harder and prove that woman are also capable of becoming leaders in the police institution," she said in an interview at her new office in Serang on Monday.
While her new post demands leadership, managerial skills and accountability beyond those required in her previous positions, Rumiah said she had already set her priorities.
In line with the police motto "to protect and serve", Rumiah said she would like to see more raids on gambling dens in Banten, as well as stepped up efforts to fight drug abuse and illegal logging.
"Those crimes have been rampant in Banten in the past few years," she said, adding she would basically continue her predecessor's "good job".
According Rumiah, Banten -- which was part of West Java province until 1999 -- is known as a region that produces many santri, or Islamic boarding school students, but it is also a notorious point for illegal logging, drug abuse, gambling and smuggling.The main gateways of Merak seaport and Soekarno-Hatta International Airport are both located in Banten province.
Rumiah acknowledged that when she was at the National Police Education Center, she only taught theories to students.She vowed to improve ties with rank-and-file police officers in Banten, and put all the theories she taught into practice.
"This is my second chance to be in the region after I was assigned as the head of production and documentation at the National Police Public Relations Division. I will apply all the theories into real life," she said.
Commenting on her ability to lead a police force comprising mostly men, Rumiah said female and male police officers have the same tasks and responsibilities, so it would not pose any problems."We are all law enforcers.
We can overcome all obstacles in upholding the law with unity, therefore I want to create a climate of togetherness and spirit so that we can go ahead and have success together," she said.
In response to a quiet demand by several Muslim groups in Banten that all female police officers in Banten wear headscarves like those in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, Rumiah said she would first study how serious and urgent the plea was.
"Basically, all female police officers have been given clear regulations regarding the uniforms they must wear. The uniforms they use daily in the streets cover almost all of their bodies. But, if people continue to demand they wear headscarves, why not? Let's see," she said.
Rumiah said she was impressed by the warm greetings from Banten leaders and people when she introduced herself during an event over the weekend with her predecessor, Brig. Gen. Timur Pradopo, who now is head of the Selapa Police School.
"Everyone was present during the function, the governor, council speakers, regents and mayors and their deputies, top ranking officials from every agency, and local dignitaries. I felt honored and their warm and sincere greetings have motivated me to work hard and do my best," she said.
Rumiah was to Madurese and Ponorogo parents in 1953 and grew up in Tulung Agung, East Java.After graduating from the Sports High School in her hometown, she continued her studies at the Surabaya Teachers Training Institute (IKIP).She remembers having to ride her bicycle dozens of kilometers back and forth between her house and campus, until she was admitted to the campus dormitory designated for students with top marks.
"Not all students were allowed to live in the campus dorm. I showed good achievements in my studies and was also the best player on the campus softball team," she said.Rumiah graduated from IKIP in 1975 and two years later she joined the police force.
One of the reasons she joined the police force was a traffic misdemeanor she committed when she was a student. "I will never forget when a police officer chased me for not wearing a helmet," she said.
After serving as a police officer for one year, she was a member of the national softball team that took part in the first Southeast Asian Games in 1979.
"It was a bit of a surprise because a number of former friends from the national softball team hear that I was appointed as the Banten Police chief. Alas, we couldn't meet and they only met with my son. But they left some photos when we were on the team which I didn't have," she said. (January 31, 2008)
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