KUALA LUMPUR: Former Indonesian police chief Da’i Bachtiar has lived up to his crime-buster image, even here as Indonesia’s ambassador to Malaysia. 

The retired police general, who was posted here on a clean-up mission last year, has completed what was required of him – stamping out graft and setting things right at the embassy. 

Indonesia’s two previous ambassadors (one of them also a former police chief) are serving jail terms in Jakarta for embezzling millions in funds involving passport renewal tariffs for Indonesian workers here. 

Goal accomplished: Bachtiar has succeded in stamping out graft and setting things right at the Indonesian embassy. 

From its disgraceful state of affairs, the embassy has won the President’s Award for being one of the republic’s top two foreign missions in the world. 
Bachtiar, 59, who shot to fame investigating the 2002 Bali bombing that took 202 lives, dedicated the award to his employees for doubling their efforts. 

“We have won the president’s highest award for public service and members of my mission can take pride in it. I am only a part of the team,” he said in an interview at his office. 

Exploited at one time by notorious embassy officials, Indonesian workers now take comfort in the improved services and facilities at the embassy chancery in Jalan Tun Razak, here. 

Passport renewals, which used to take days, can now be completed within three hours – at a fixed rate of RM22. 
The open car park has been converted into an enclosed waiting area and 25 counters operate, at times up to 11pm, until every Indonesian is served. 

“And they are served with a smile,” said Bachtiar, who makes daily rounds at the counters. 

Bachtiar, who was Indonesia’s police chief between 2001 and 2005, said he was working hard to improve working conditions for the estimated 1.2 million legal Indonesian workers in the country. 

“There are an estimated 500,000 to 800,000 illegal workers here. Nobody knows the exact figure,” he added. 

BY: PAUL GABRIEL 

Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/3/19/nation/3485287&sec=nation