Presidential Control Needed

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Suspect Ferdy Sambo and suspect Putri Candrawathi while participating in a series of reconstructions of the murder of Brigadier Novriansyah Yosua Hutabarat at Ferdy Sambo's official residence at the Police House Complex, Jalan Duren Tiga Utara, South Jakarta, on Tuesday (30/8/2022).

The idea of updating the police surveillance system after the Ferdy Sambo case cannot be left entirely to the National Police (Polri). President control is needed.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Learning from the case of the premeditated murder of Brig. J or Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat, the involvement of external institutions in handling legal cases involving top police officers, as recommended by the National Human Rights Commission, is very important to execute.

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To ensure this and at the same time strengthen the external institutions of the police, there must be an intervention by the President, serving as the direct supervisor of the National Police.

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Gadjah Mada University constitutional law expert, Zaenal Arifin Mochtar, revealed that efforts to improve Polri need to be carried out by involving parties who are responsible for the future of police reform. However, the most significant factor is the President, who directly supervises the National Police. In the post-reform era, the National Police is structurally positioned under the President.

"Hopefully, the President will exercise control. Not in law enforcement, but in cleaning up things like this [Ferdy Sambo case]. This is the failure of almost all presidents of their era, especially after [Polri] was separated from the military in the 2000s," said Zaenal, Friday (Sep. 2).

In line with this, the idea of updating the police supervision system can be carried out. There are two ways in revitalizing the National Police Commission (Kompolnas): by granting adequate authority or forming a new institution. “All ideas for improvement are carried out. There is great work to be done," he added.

Gen. Ferdy Sambo, as well as a number of police officers and personnel, could escape without law enforcement.

A police observer from the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies, Bambang Rukmino, also emphasized the importance of strengthening the Kompolnas. Without strengthening the authority of Kompolnas, cases such as the Brig. J murder case involving his superiors, the former head of the Profession and Security Division (Divpropam) of the National Police Insp. Gen. Ferdy Sambo, as well as a number of police officers and personnel, could escape without law enforcement.

Without strengthening this authority, especially when external institutions are not involved, Bambang is pessimistic that the issue of the online gambling business, which reportedly involves a number of high-ranking Polri officials, will be investigated as promised by the National Police Chief Gen. (Pol) Listyo Sigit Prabowo in a meeting with Commission III of the House of Representatives (DPR) on Wednesday (Aug. 24). In this regard, the Head of the Public Relations Division of the National Police, Insp. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo, said on Friday that the information was still being investigated by the Cyber Crime Directorate of the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim).

A lecturer in criminal law at Trisakti University, Jakarta, Azmi Syahputra, added that one way to strengthen the authority of Kompolnas is to strengthen the position of Kompolnas. It can no longer be limited to being formed under the legal umbrella of a presidential regulation, but must be formed on the

basis of a law. What is also important is that the recommendations issued by Kompolnas should be made binding for the National Police to carry out.

After Sambo was dishonorably dismissed as a member of Polri, the National Police Code of Ethics and Professionalism Commission (KKEP) imposed the same sanctions on the former head of the Audit Subdivision of the Ethics Enforcement Section of the Profession Accountability Bureau of the profession and security division (Divpropam) of Polri Comr. Chuck Putranto. The former subordinate of the former head of Divpropam of Polri was declared to have committed a disgraceful act and violated the profession code of ethics.

They are also suspected of destroying evidence from cellphones and surveillance cameras and adding evidence at the location of Brig. J's murder at Sambo’s official residence in Duren Tiga, Jakarta.

The decision was handed down by the KKEP after going through a 15 hour trial from Thursday (Sep. 1) to Friday morning. Chuck and Sambo are two of the seven police officers suspected of obstructing the investigation into the murder of Brig. J. They are also suspected of destroying evidence from cellphones and surveillance cameras and adding evidence at the location of Brig. J's murder at Sambo’s official residence in Duren Tiga, Jakarta.

Dedi Prasetyo, during a press conference on Friday, said that Chuck had appealed the KKEP's decision. This position is the same as Sambo, who also appealed. Polri acknowledges this because it is their right.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

he Head of the National Police Public Relations Division, Inspector General Pol. Dedi Prasetyo (center) speaks at a press conference regarding the questioning of the suspect Putri Candrawati at the Criminal Investigation Unit at the National Police Headquarters, Jakarta, on Friday (26/8/2022) night.

After Chuck, KKEP will proceed with the trial of Comr. Baiquni Wibowo as the former head of the Investigation Subdivision of the Ethics Enforcement Section of the Profession Accountability Bureau of the National Police Divpropam.

As for Sambo’s appeal, according to Dedi, the Appeals Commission has not yet received the request. (PDS/DEA/ANA)

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.