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View all search resultsPrabowo under pressure to push police reform
Analysts argue that reform must begin with a revision of the 2002 Police Law, which has so far failed to deliver a professional and accountable force.
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President Prabowo Subianto gestures during the 80th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York, US, Sept. 23, 2025. (Reuters/Kylie Cooper)
C
alls are growing for President Prabowo Subianto to take concrete steps toward sweeping reform within the National Police, with analysts warning that success will hinge on his willingness to address entrenched problems in one of the country’s most powerful institutions.
Public pressure for reform has built up over years of persistent brutality, a culture of impunity and mounting political interference, all of which have eroded trust in law enforcement and undermined the police’s legitimacy.
Renewed calls for police reform intensified in the wake of a tumultuous week in late August, when nationwide protests over lawmakers’ lavish allowances amid economic hardships erupted into a broader outcry after an ojol (online motorcycle transportation) driver was killed after being driven over by a police tactical vehicle in Jakarta.
Nicky Fahrizal, a researcher at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), stressed that the President must leverage his authority to address systemic failures rather than pursue quick, superficial fixes.
“Without strong political will from the President, police reform will only amount to cosmetic changes,” Nicky said in a discussion on Thursday. “The problems within the police institution are deep-rooted and require fundamental, thorough solutions.”
Read also: Forced disappearances suspected as protesters still missing
Analysts argue that reform must begin with a revision of the 2002 Police Law, which has so far failed to deliver a professional and accountable force.
