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Increasing appointment of policemen to state bureaucracy draws scrutiny
Opinions are divided on the increasing appointment of active and retired police officers to top positions in the bureaucracy, which seems to indicate the National Police's growing influence on national politics.
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South Sumatra Police chief Insp. Gen. Firli Bahuri gestures during his fit and proper test on Sept. 9, 2019 at the House of Representatives in Jakarta. Firli has been appointed as the 2019-2024 chair of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
The appointment of South Sumatra Police chief Insp. Gen. Firli Bahuri as the incoming chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the police response to related student protests across the country have shined a spotlight on the National Police's growing influence in government and politics.
Firli is taking over the reins at the KPK in December and will remain an active police officer until he reaches the retirement age of 58 in two years.
Several police generals, both active and retired, lead a number of state agencies, including the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and the Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Ministry.
Police generals have also been appointed directors general at several ministries: Former Bali Police chief Insp. Gen. (ret.) Ronny Sompie is the director general of immigration at the Law and Human Rights Ministry, while former South Sulawesi Police chief Insp. Gen. (ret.) Pudji Hartanto Iskandar is the land transportation director general at the Transportation Ministry.
The National Police budget has also increased significantly over the past few years, more than doubling from Rp 43.9 trillion (US$3.1 billion) in 2014 to Rp 104.7 trillion in the 2020 state budget.
While its defenders say there is nothing wrong with the current situation since it is allowed by law, activists and researchers say that it is a setback to democracy, given the potential for conflicts of interest.
