The President said that there is a wrong or inappropriate system within the National Police that requires reform.
By
Azyumardi Azra
·5 minutes read
SALOMO TOBING
Azyumardi Azra
National Police (Polri) reform. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo; Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD; as well as many democracy, human rights and civil-society activists have called for reform of the National Police. This has arisen urgently with a strong relation to a major shocking case at home or abroad, namely the murder of Brigadier J, which directly involved the Insp. Gen. FS, who has become a suspect, and four other people (PC, FS' wife; two members of the National Police; and one civilian). No less than 83 Polri personnel were examined; at least 35 people were proven guilty of conducting “violations of the code of ethics” and 24 of them were removed from their respective positions in connection with the murder of Brigadier J.
President Jokowi, in an interview with Kompas daily (15/8/2022), emphasized the urgency of completing the disclosure of the case of the death of Brigadier J. The President is very apprehensive about this case, responding up to four times. Basically, the plot of the assassination and the network of Insp. Gen. FS must be revealed to the court. President Jokowi emphasized, “This [case disclosure] is an impetus to rebuild public trust. Don't let this opportunity be missed, namely the reform of the National Police to improve the system."
It is not very clear what President Jokowi means by "reforming the National Police". However, the most important thing is that the President sees the need for reform of the National Police. No less significant, the President said that there is a wrong or inappropriate system within the National Police that requires reform. The main problems that were revealed were, among others, the extra-structure of the special task force led by the former head of the Propam (profession and security) Division, Insp. Gen. FS, before he was named a suspect. So powerful, as if in his own “kingdom”, Insp. Gen. FS, who was called “Emperor Sambo”, moved without oversight within the National Police.
The "cleaning up" for the rejuvenation of National Police reform is not a new subject. The discourse and its programs have been rolling since the beginning of the 1999 reform period. The reformation began with the separation of the National Police from the Indonesian Military (TNI) -- starting with Presidential Instruction (BJ Habibie) Number 2 of 1999 on Steps for the Separation of TNI and Polri. This step was fortified by the MPR (People’s Consultative Assembly) Decree VI/MPR/2000, which was later locked by Law No. 2/2002 on the National Police.
Law No. 2/2002 is often referred to as the basis for Polri's reform to be in line with the paradigm of democratic political change that respects freedom of aspiration, human rights and the civic environment with civil supremacy. The law also regulates the guidance and professional code of ethics so that the policies and actions of the police officers can be justified legally, morally, ethically and with respect for human rights.
However, in its development in 20 years, many groups, especially democracy, human-rights activists and members of Commission III of the House of Representatives (DPR) have assessed the need for revision of Law No. 2/2002. This law is seen as inadequate to develop a credible and accountable National Police internally and externally in the wider political, social, cultural, religious, environmental and regional environment. It is also not strong enough to make the National Police a civilian organization with civilian police that are more humane -- not militaristic. Even though related parties (National Police, government, and DPR) have tried to revise Law No. 2/2002, so far no concrete results have been seen.
Two decades after the enactment of Law No. 2/2022, the National Police seem to not have been reformed nor to follow the paradigms of political reform, democracy, freedom of expression, respect for human rights and civil rights. From year to year, the Police have suppressed the expression of democracy or freedom of expression through demonstrations, used excessive force (police brutality) and become partisan -- even recently, the case of Insp. Gen. FS was also mentioned in the public sphere related to the alleged 303 network (online and offline illegal gambling), drugs and prostitution.
The reform of the National Police, which was sometimes emphasized by the leadership of the National Police in the post-Law No. 2/2002 period, consists of three aspects: structural reform, which includes changes in the police institution in the state administration, organization, structure and position; instrumental reform, regarding the philosophy of vision, mission, and goals -- including regulation, function and planning; and cultural reforms covering doctrine, recruitment, education and operations.
If these three aspects of reform are contrasted with phenomena and realities within the National Police environs, gaps can be revealed; for example, in the case of the assassination of Brigadier J, which was masterminded by Insp. Gen. FS. Gaps; deviations from the National Police reform paradigm must be addressed immediately. Otherwise, the National Police will continue to lose their credibility and accountability.
That is why structural reforms are needed -- for example, as has long been proposed by many groups, so that the National Police institution is placed in the Home Affairs Ministry (or others, such as the TNI under the Defense Ministry) by implementing good governance, free from corruption, collusion and nepotism. Additionally, to make the vision and mission of the National Police organization more oriented toward being civilian police -- a humanist partner of various layers of society. Finally, to make the National Police culturally adhere to the culture of democracy in all its scope, including human rights.
AZYUMARDI AZRA, History Professor at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN Jakarta); Member of the Cultural Commission of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (AIPI)
