President Warns the Police

In front of the invited Polri officers, the President expressed his anger at the country’s policing institution. President orders national police to clean up.

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

Indonesian Police Officers after following the Presidential Instruction to the Senior Officers of the National Police Headquarters, the Regional Police Chief, and the Chiefs of the Indonesian Police Resorts, Friday (10/14/2022). A total of 559 police officers attended this event.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has taken the unusual step of ordering the National Police (Polri) to improve.

He did not only summon National Police chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo to the State Palace, but all ranking Polri officers, including regional police chiefs and subdistrict police chiefs. Usually, the message to improve an institution is communicated directly to the leader of the institution. Instead, the President has decided to communicate his message directly to all ranking officers.

In front of the invited Polri officers, the President expressed his anger at the country’s policing institution, particularly over police officers who flaunted their extravagant and hedonistic lifestyles and police officers who violated the law. As a result, public trust in the National Police was at its lowest point.

Also read:

> President Orders National Police to Clean Up

> Waiting for the Moves of the National Police Chief

The police have been plagued by scandals for the last three months: the murder of Yoshua Hutabarat involving former internal affairs chief Ferdy Sambo, the Kanjuruhan Stadium disaster in Malang, and most recently, the drug case involving Insp. Gen. Teddy Minahasa.

The arrest of Teddy Minahasa, who had just been appointed as the East Java Police chief, has been a blow to the National Police. Moreover, the case was revealed at the same time as the President summoning the top brass. Was it a coincidence, or did it reveal an internal rivalry within the institution? Hopefully, it is simply an act of enforcing the law against corrupt behavior.

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

Indonesian National Police officials follow the President's Directions to senior officers of the National Police Headquarters, Regional Police Chiefs, and Indonesian Resort Police Chiefs, Friday (14/10/2022) at the State Palace, Friday (14/10/2022).

The people are wondering, what is wrong with our Polri? With its large budget and many police officers holding civilian positions, why does Polri continue to be plagued by problems? It seems that there is a need for in-depth research on Polri as an institution. The National Police Commission (Kompolnas) can initiate such an in-depth study. Are there organizational issues or other problems? Is the law being enforced for the sake of the law enforcement, or for personal interests?

President Jokowi's warning about the luxury lifestyles of police officers is nothing new. The public has often criticized this, but not much has changed. For the people, it is not just the matter of luxury lifestyles that is at issue. Where does the wealth to support such a lifestyle come from? How can the property owned by Polri officials that do not match their incomes as policemen be explained? Have Polri officials complied with their obligation to report their personal wealth, as manded by the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the law?

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> Police Reform Rejuvenation

The public is waiting for the National Police chief to take firm steps following the President's reprimand. They must fulfill their obligation to report their wealth and possibly provide proof of the source of their wealth. Doing so can sort out which police officers are good and honest, and which police officers have been abusing their positions for the purpose of accumulating personal wealth.

The ranking police officers should reflect on the words of former Polri chief Gen. Hoegeng Iman Santoso, who possessed integrity and was known as an honest policeman who once said: "Fulfill your duties with complete honesty, because we are still eating salted rice" (rice with just salt and no other dishes or condiments). Even though times have changed, Hoegeng's view is still very relevant. The loss of honesty spells the beginning of the moral bankruptcy of the nation.

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.