Indonesian president-elect Joko Widodo was forced to defend his choice of intelligence adviser today after activists criticised his human rights record, reports said.

Rights group Kontras said former general Abdullah Hendropriyono, a former intelligence chief, was involved in the murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib in 2004.

“The appointment is a slap in the face of efforts to uphold human rights by the upcoming new government,” said Kontras coordinator Haris Azhar.

As an army commander, Hendropriyono was also responsible for a 1989 attack on villages in Lampung province that killed nearly 30 people and left dozens more missing, according to Kontras.

Joko, widely-known by his nickname Jokowi, defended his decision to appoint Hendropriyono as an adviser on his transition team, following his election win in July.

“We need to understand intelligence issues,” he was quoted as saying by the Antara state news agency.

“People are entitled to their opinion but it was only an allegation,” he said “If people make an issue out of an allegation, it’s not fair.”

The result of the July 9 presidential election is being challenged in the courts by Joko's rival, former general Prabowo Subianto.

During the election campaign, Joko’s supporters portrayed Prabowo as a person unfit for the presidency because of his role in the kidnapping of activists while he was in the military.

Hendropriyono was the head of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) under the government of Megawati Sukarnoputri, whose party was the main backer of Joko’s election bid.

As BIN head, he and his deputy, former special forces commander Muchdi Purwopranjono, were implicated in Munir’s death by poisoning in 2004.

Muchdi was subsequently cleared of all charges at trial, but there was no further investigation into the role of Hendropriyono.

Some Joko supporters expressed their disappointment online at the appointment.

“Yesterday you questioned Prabowo about human rights violations. Now it’s time to ask Hendropriyono the same questions,” one wrote on Twitter.

- dpa