September 15, 2025 | 07:28 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Dozens of demonstrators gathered in front of the Parliament Building in Jakarta on Monday, September 15, 2025, voicing concerns over several policing issues. Their main demand was the rejection of ongoing calls for Indonesian police reform.
Abjan Said, the field coordinator of the rally, argued that the discourse around reform has been exaggerated. “The connotation of the term reform should not be allowed to run wild,” Abjan told reporters at the protest.
He emphasized that the police are themselves a product of Indonesia’s post-Reform era, having been separated from the military in 1999. Given this history, he said it would be misleading to frame today’s challenges under the banner of “reform.”
Instead, Abjan suggested shifting the narrative to “restoration,” which he described as a more constructive and humane way of strengthening the institution. “The slogan should be about restoration, to reinforce the police as it is,” he said.
While Abjan acknowledged that the police need internal improvements, he firmly opposed a sweeping overhaul. “Like any institution, the police have shortcomings. What we need is improvement within the police, not a total dismantling,” he explained.
The debate over police reform has gained momentum in recent weeks after President Prabowo Subianto agreed to establish a Police Reform Team, following proposals from figures involved in the National Conscience Movement.
Former Chair of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia, Gomar Gultom, who attended a meeting with the President, confirmed that Prabowo had already developed a concept for police reform. “The President will soon form a team or commission for police reform,” Gomar said.
Meanwhile, the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) has outlined three key areas that should be central to the reform agenda: digital governance, human rights, and oversight mechanisms.
“This reform is not starting from zero. These three instruments provide the foundation for identifying which aspects need to be strengthened, improved, or replaced,” said Kompolnas Commissioner Anam on Saturday, September 13, 2025.
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