The Jakarta Post
The recent House of Representatives confirmation hearing for National Police chief Comr. Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo has painted a somewhat contradictory picture of how the 51-year-old general will lead the force. Listyo, who is known for his close ties to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, has promised to promote a soft and more “humane” approach to law enforcement, raising hopes that he could finally put an end to rampant police violence. However, his plans to intensify public surveillance across the archipelago, repurpose the civil security apparatus and create a new cyber police unit to counter online misinformation have sparked human rights and security concerns. "A soft approach would be the main policing strategy for the National Police [during my tenure]. [I want the police] to be firm but humane in enforcing the law," Li...