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View all search resultsMinister’s remarks on police double jobs ruling draws scrutiny
Conveying his personal belief, Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas said the Constitutional Court ruling barring police officers from holding civilian positions only applies for future appointments, but not retroactively, allowing those holding such posts to not resign or retire from the force.
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Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas (center), sitting between Deputy State Secretary Bambang Eko Suhariyanto (left) and Deputy Law Minister Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej, gives a salute ahead of a House of Representatives plenary session on Nov. 18 at the Senayan legislative complex in Jakarta. During the session, the House passes a revision of the Criminal Law Procedures Code (KUHAP). (Antara/Rivan Awal Lingga)
A minister’s claim against a recent Constitutional Court ruling barring active police officers from holding civilian posts has raised doubts about the government’s commitment to push reform on the National Police, as pressure mounts on the force to comply with the ruling without delay.
In a 7-2 ruling read in a hearing on Nov. 13, Constitutional Court justices decided to revoke an ambiguous provision in the 2002 National Police Law deemed in conflict with the requirement for officers to resign or retire from active force before assuming positions in the government.
The ruling was promptly praised by pro-democracy advocates as a significant step toward police reform, which is now a top government priority following nationwide violent demonstrations in late August. Thousands of police officers have been assigned to various positions in the government in the past decade, with at least dozens currently holding posts under the current administration.
However, while respecting the court for the ruling, Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas conveyed his personal perspective that it should not apply retroactively to police officers already holding civilian positions before the Constitutional Court made the decision.
“For officers who will be appointed to civilian posts, especially those unrelated to core police duties, they must resign or retire. But those already holding such positions, unless recalled by the police chief, are not required to resign,” Supratman, who is also a politician of President Prabowo Subianto’s Gerindra Party, said on Tuesday.
Read also: Court ruling bolsters calls for police reform
