July 3, 2024
JAKARTA – The National Police celebrated its 78th anniversary on Monday amid mounting public outrage at the police’s incompetence and alleged brutality, as well as growing opposition to a contentious amendment to the Police Law.
A grand celebration held at the National Monument (Monas) compound in Central Jakarta on Monday evening was overshadowed by a recent controversy surrounding the alleged torture and death of a 13-year-old boy, identified only as AM, while in police custody in Padang, West Sumatra.
AM’s bruised body was found in a river near the Kuranji Police station on June 9, and the victim’s family claims the death was caused by the brutality of the police who arrested AM and dozens of his friends on suspicion of attempting to incite brawls.
West Sumatra Police chief Insp. Gen. Suharyono denied the allegation, claiming that AM was killed after jumping off a bridge to avoid arrest.
He, however, admitted that his subordinates did abuse other arrested teenagers by, among other means, beating them with rattan sticks and burning their skins with cigarettes during questioning.
Seventeen police officers confessed to the assaults during an internal investigation, and were awaiting ethical hearings, Suharyono went on.
The law enforcement institution is also in hot water following the death of a local journalist in Karo, West Sumatra, named Sempurna Pasaribu. He was reportedly killed in a house fire last week, along with three family members.
Speculation is rife that the incident was the result of arson, and that Sempurna was intentionally targeted for writing reports about online gambling and drug dealing in the regency, which allegedly involved authorities.
The police eventually conducted an investigation into the case, following growing public demands to uncover the truth behind the journalist’s death.
A month previously, the police came under intense scrutiny over the abrupt arrest of an alleged murder fugitive who had been at large for more than eight years.
The suspect, Pegi Setiawan, was arrested on May 21, just two weeks after the release of a viral true-story movie titled Vina: Sebelum 7 Hari (Vina: Before 7 Days) on May 8. The film focuses on the deaths of two 16-year-olds named Vina and Eky in Cirebon, West Java, in 2016, the investigation into which appeared to be marred by irregularities.
The mastermind behind the gang murder would be in his 30s this year, while the apprehended Pegi is 27 years old. Many observers have accused the police of making a wrongful arrest amid rising public pressure to solve the stalled case.
Pegi himself has accused the police of using him as a scapegoat to cover up the true offender, who is rumored to be a relative of a high-ranking figure in Cirebon.
Police brutality
The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) received 176 reports of alleged torture committed by police officers between Jan. 1, 2020, and June 24, 2024, putting the institution at the top of its abuse list.
Human rights group Amnesty International Indonesia also reported an increasing trend of torture by law enforcement in the last three years. The group recorded 15 cases between 2021 and 2022, and the figure doubled in the 2023-2024 period.
Despite the growing concerns over police brutality, the House of Representatives is currently tabling draft amendments of the Police Law that will grant the institution sweeping authority over cyberspace, as well as the ability to undertake surveillance and intelligence operations.
Under the proposed amendment, the police will be allowed to block, disconnect or slow down access to cyberspace for security purposes. It also allows for the police to wiretap and secretly intercept communication devices.
Civil groups have strongly opposed the bill, fearing that it will further increase the potential for abuses of power amid a shrinking civic space in the country.
“We urge the House and the government to immediately revise the draft bill by considering input from various parties […] The amendment must ensure a balance between police authority and the protection of citizens’ basic rights,” said Usman Hamid of Amnesty.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in the past week to protest against the proposed revision to the Police Law, demanding lawmakers instead limit the police’s authority and strengthen the monitoring system over the institution’s unsatisfactory performance.
Recently, a group of hackers called Star06 claimed that it had breached the National Police’s cyber security system and sold stolen data containing officers’ identities and confidential documents on the dark web.
Recovering trust
In spite of everything, public trust in the law enforcement institution has improved in the past two years after reaching its nadir in 2022 following several controversial incidents.
That year, a two-star police general Ferdy Sambo killed his own subordinate and ordered dozens of police officers to cover up the crime. In addition, 135 people died in a stampede at Kanjuruhan Stadium in East Java after police fired tear gas into the stands during a post-match pitch invasion.
A survey conducted by pollster Indikator Politik Indonesia on the performance of state institutions revealed that public trust in the police had improved following the two devastating tragedies, reaching 70 percent, compared with 53 percent in October 2022.
Another survey carried out by the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) in April also showed a similar trend, with 70 percent of respondents saying they trusted the National Police, compared with 54 percent in October of 2022.
Head of Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) Sugeng Teguh said the police must use the encouraging survey results as motivation to reform the culture of impunity, excessive use of violence and perceived arrogance, among officers.