However, specifically right now, in his second and final term, Jokowi prefers loyalty and familiarity even more.

A dilemma over these personal preferences marked the selection process before Jokowi finally proposed Comr. Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo to the House of Representatives as the sole candidate for the chief of police on Wednesday of last week.

Listyo will replace Gen. Idham Azis, who is retiring. Jokowi signaled his choice of Listyo in early December 2019 when Idham named Listyo the National Police detective chief, a strategic post known as a stepping stone to the top job in the police force.

Idham himself was the detective chief before Jokowi entrusted him with the leadership of the police force. During the little over a year of Listyo’s tenure as detective chief, the police arrested two suspects for the acid attack against Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) senior investigator Novel Baswedan, as well as BNI defrauder Maria Luwoma and Bank Bali graft convict Djoko Tjandra.

That Listyo settled three highprofile cases that previous police chiefs could not is indeed an achievement.

Many, however, predicted that a two-horse race between Listyo and National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Gatot Eddy Pramono would mark the succession in the police force.

Read also: Jokowi taps former adjutant Listyo as National Police chief

The quiet rivalry was evident when Listyo established a task force to assist in the government’s COVID-19 response in April 2020 and a few months later Gatot was appointed a deputy head of the national economic and COVID-19 recovery committee.

On Nov. 24, 2020, as Listyo appeared on course for the nomination, Insp. Gen. Napoleon Bonaparte, standing trial for allegedly accepting bribes from tycoon Djoko, named Listyo in his testimony.

Napoleon said he had made a deal with businessman Tommy Sumardi, who was acting on Djoko’s behalf, because Tommy claimed to be close to Listyo. Some then began to fl oat alternative candidates, claiming Listyo lacked the capabilities required for the job, on top of his relatively young age.

Among the “safe” choices touted in the media were Comr. Gen. Boy Rafl i Amar, who heads the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT).

Boy was thought to possess the skills, agility and influence to be National Police chief. A number of observers said Boy was more acceptable to the police top brass because of his seniority.

Acceptability is important for a new police chief to solidify the force.

They worried Listyo would face internal resistance if he was named police chief. Both Listyo and Boy were among five candidates submitted to the President by the National Police Commission, helmed by Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD. Boy has taken up various assignments during his career, mostly in the criminal investigation field.

Read also: Will the young bring reform?

However, it was his role as Jakarta Police spokesman that caused him to rise to prominence. Known as a soft-spoken person, Boy won a promotion to National Police spokesman in 2016. Both Boy and Listyo once headed the Banten Police.

For Listyo, who is a Christian, his stint in Banten, a province known for its Muslim conservatism, was a challenge. Local ulema opposed him, but his aggressive persuasion turned the rejection into acceptance in a matter of months.

At the end of the day, Jokowi stuck to his choice of Listyo.

A senior minister with a military background defended Jokowi’s preference, saying that the President needed a person who had shown loyalty and with whom he was familiar.

Jokowi has known Listyo since 2011, when the former was the Surakarta mayor and the latter the city’s police chief. When Jokowi assumed power in 2014, he picked Listyo as one of his adjutants.

After that, Listyo’s career skyrocketed. Jokowi’s choice of Listyo provides a hint about how he wants to run the show. Jokowi needs to be fully in control of both the police and the military to guard his agenda, which will define his legacy when he leaves office in 2024.

One of the challenges to Jokowi’s agenda is radicalism, which is why the government is getting tough with hardline groups like the Islam Defenders Front (FPI).

The group was disbanded last month and its iconic leader Rizieq Shihab has been detained pending his trial for allegedly violating COVID-19 protocols.

The “No More Mr. Nice Guy” attitude displayed by the police will likely continue as the government takes on groups or individuals it considers potential threats.

In this regard, Listyo has proven his merit as he has acted against dozens of individuals for allegedly spreading fake news about the government.

In April of last year, Listyo signed a telegram on Idham’s behalf on the police’s strict policy against hoaxes regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, defamation of the President and government officials, as well as online shopping scams related to the selling of protective gear, masks and hand sanitizer.

While the House is likely to endorse Listyo’s nomination, civil society groups should not give up their rallying cry for an end to the use of law enforcement to suppress democracy, which was rampant last year.

***

Staff writer at The Jakarta Post

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