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The police college and Tito: Between idealism and reality
So what are the challenges facing Tito? The Civil Society Coalition (KMS) lists eight major tasks: to crack down on all forms of intolerance that lead to violence; to ensure that freedom of expression is protected; to improve the National Police’s tarnished image; to resolve agrarian disputes in a persuasive way; to respect human rights; to improve the quality of police equipment and personnel; to deal with terrorism in a measured and professional way; and to cooperate with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to rid the police of corruption.
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Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Moechgiyarto (second left) and his predecessor Insp. Gen. Tito Karnavian (right) pose after the inauguration ceremony in March at the National Police Headquarters. (JP/Wienda Parwitasari)
O
n June 17 I found myself transported back to the time of Indonesia’s founding fathers when I attended the 70th Dies Natalis of the Police Staff College (PTIK).
Why was I invited? Well, it just so happens that my late father-in-law, Priyono, was one of the founding fathers of the PTIK. On the occasion of the Dies Natalis, the PTIK wanted to give its founders awards in appreciation for services rendered and to honor their legacy. But since they had all passed away, relatives had to receive the awards on their behalf. In Pak Priyono’s case, it was me, his daughter-in-law, as Ami Priyono, my late husband, passed away in 2001 and our only son, Aditya, lives in Singapore.
Who were the PTIK’s other founding fathers? None other than Sukarno, Indonesia’s first president, Mohammad Hatta, Indonesia’s first vice-president, Sutan Sjahrir, Indonesia’s first prime minister, RS Soekamto Tjokrodiatmodjo, Indonesia’s first head of police, Ki Hajar Dewantara, pioneer of education for Indonesians in Dutch colonial times and a national hero, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, first governor of the special region of Yogyakarta, the second vice-president of Indonesia and ninth sultan of Yogyakarta, Sunaryo Kolopaking, finance minister in the Sjahrir Cabinet, Djoko Soetono, the first dean of the University of Indonesia law school, who laid the intellectual foundations of the police college, and Prof. Soepomo, Indonesia’s first law minister, declared a national hero posthumously in 1965.
My father-in-law himself was the first dean of the school of letters of the University of Indonesia ( 1950-56 ) and later became culture and education minister in Sukarno’s Cabinet ( 1957-66 ).
Clearly, not only were these men the founding fathers of PTIK, they were also the founding fathers of the nation! In the presence of such august company, albeit in spirit only, no wonder I was filled with awe. A short film screened about the history of the PTIK clearly showed the parallels between the birth and growth of the police college with that of the nation.
We sang “Indonesia Raya”, the national anthem, as is the custom on such occasions, and later in the ceremony, “Padamu Negeri” — a pledge to serve the nation, even to sacrifice our lives if need be. I felt so moved and choked up reflecting on the idealism that sparked the birth of the nation.
Indonesia’s independence was fueled by sacrifices and bloodshed, and yet, after independence had been attained, so many abuses were committed– up to now. Corruption, abuse of power, the “me first” mentality that predominates, is clearly a betrayal of that early idealism.
At one point during the Dies Natalis program, Gaudeamus Igitur was sung, because the event was also the graduation ceremony of about 420 undergraduate and postgraduate students, mostly men, but about 10 percent women, some sporting the hijab. I looked at these young gown-wearing graduates, their faces full of hope and optimism.
When does this start to change? When does their idealism start to get eroded? I thought of the famously rampant police corruption (the police force is considered to be one of most corrupt institutions in the country), high-ranking police officials with inflated bank accounts, brokering business deals, police involved in drug and prostitution rackets, police violence and torture, and virginity tests for female candidates. How ironic!
Many former deans of the PTIK were present at the event. One of them was Awaloedin Djamin, currently 88 years old, who served between 1987 and 2002. I knew him quite well when he was ambassador to Germany ( 1976-79 ) when my parents were also posted there. He wrote a book called Polri Mandiri Yang Profesional, Pengayom, Pelindung, Pelayan Masyarakat (An Independent, Professional National Police that Protects, Guards and Serves the people), implying that the force was not yet any of these things.
Awaloedin is in fact known for being openly critical of the police. He says they are inadequate, in terms of numbers, professionalism, equipment etc, making it difficult for them to uncover cases of drug syndicates, counterfeit money and terrorism. At the beginning of the Reform Era, the police force was separated from the military.
According to Awaloedin, this was an opportunity to reform the police, but the results were far from maximal. He also disagrees with the system whereby the House of Representatives appoints the chief of police. He says there is the risk that the police can be used as a weapon with which political parties bash their opponents, but up to now this system is still in place.
Nevertheless, there may be new hope with the appointment of Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian today at the State Palace, replacing the retiring Gen. Badrodin Haiti. The choice of Tito was controversial because at age 51, some of his subordinates will be more senior than him (see “Understanding Jokowi’s ploy in nominating Tito Karnavian”, The Jakarta Post, June 17 ). That is not the only source of controversy, as Tito himself has signaled he will institute a major shake-up in the police force – we expect nothing less!
Who is Tito Karnavian? He was born in Palembang in 1964 and has held, among others, the positions of commander of the Papua Police, the Jakarta Police and the National Police’s antiterrorism unit, Densus 88. He has a PhD in strategic studies from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and has received awards from both the state and the UN.
He received promotions for capturing Tommy Soeharto (convicted for the murder of Supreme Court justice Syafiuddin Kartasasmita) and another promotion when he and other police officers killed Azahari Husin, a Malaysian terrorist fugitive.
Rights groups say he has a chequered past, but we’d be hard pressed to find a police officer who doesn’t!
So what are the challenges facing Tito? The Civil Society Coalition (KMS) lists eight major tasks: to crack down on all forms of intolerance that lead to violence; to ensure that freedom of expression is protected; to improve the National Police’s tarnished image; to resolve agrarian disputes in a persuasive way; to respect human rights; to improve the quality of police equipment and personnel; to deal with terrorism in a measured and professional way; and to cooperate with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to rid the police of corruption.
Whoa! I think this list would satisfy even Awaloedin Djamin. If Tito manages to achieve all this before he retires in seven years, he’d be qualified to be president of Indonesia!
So let’s wish Tito all the best – hopefully, he can restore some of the early idealism on which the Republic was founded!
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The writer is the author of Julia’s Jihad.
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