Political Expert: President and Police Chief Solid, Persecution Claims Baseless

President Prabowo was accompanied by the National Police Chief General Pol Listyo Sigit Prabowo during the inspection of Bhayangkara's 79th Anniversary ceremony at Monas, Jakarta, Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Analysts of political experts as well as founders of the Indonesian Voters Institute (LPI), Boni Hargens, consider the accusation that National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo is persekusiing the candidate for Chief of Police chosen by President Prabowo Subianto is just a weak, baseless, and dangerous narrative.

According to Boni, the issue was rolled out to create the impression of tension between the President and the National Police Chief. In fact, he emphasized, President Prabowo and General Listyo are solid in maintaining national stability and overseeing the agenda of reform and modernization of the police.

"This issue appears without concrete evidence, more satire and speculation. The goal is to lead public opinion to believe there is friction at the elite level. This is dangerous because it can damage public trust in the government and law enforcement officials," said Boni in Jakarta, Friday, September 26.

He considered that the pattern of fighting against the President and the National Police Chief was nothing new. Previously, the public was also treated to fake issues, starting from the discourse on Polri reform that was twisted, accusations that the President had sent the name of the National Police Chief candidate to the DPR, to claims that the National Police Chief's reform team had matched the committee formed by the President. All these issues, he said, were refuted after the palace and the DPR confirmed that there was no conflict.

"This is a systematic pattern: building a false narrative, leading opinions, and hoping that cracks will emerge between the President and the National Police Chief. Even though the end always ran aground," he said.

Boni emphasized that accusations without evidence were not merely criticism, but part of a systematic movement that could potentially shake public trust and open up space for provocateurs to weaken the country's resilience.

Regarding the mass action in front of the DPR/MPR Building on September 15, he assessed that the protest showed public rejection of the Police reform' jargon which was rolled out again.

"The Police's reform has been final since 2002. What is relevant now is the restoration of the National Police, namely strengthening, improvement, and returning the dignity of the Police so that they remain professional, independent, and in favor of the people," he explained.

He reminded that since Tap MPR No. VI/MPR/2000 which separates the National Police from the TNI until the birth of Law no. 2 of 2002, the National Police itself is the fruit of reform. Therefore, according to him, the discourse needed is no longer reform, but institutional strengthening.

Boni also assessed that General Listyo's leadership had brought tangible achievements, ranging from modernization of police technology, humanist approaches, to Precision programs (Predictive, Responsibility, and Fair Transparency).

"In the era of General Sigit, the National Police was no longer only synonymous with armed forces, but came with a humanist, responsive, and transparent civilian face. This is a tangible manifestation of the restoration of the Police," he said.

He emphasized that people's support is very important to maintain the solidity of the Police. Restoration of the Police means strengthening professionalism, integrity, and accountability so that the Police are increasingly trusted by the people. The President and the National Police Chief should not bevided by speculative narratives full of fighting against each other," he said.

In closing, Boni, who is also the former President Director of the Antara LKBN, called for the Police to be strengthened, not shaken. "The accusation of baseless persecution is just a poison of democracy that must be rejected together," he concluded.