Minister of Law and Human Rights: Police Bill to Adjust Retirement Age for Justice

Minister of Law Supratman Andi Agtas (right) talks to Deputy Minister of State Secretary Bambang Eko Suhariyanto ANTARA FOTO/Asprilla Dwi Adha/YU

JAKARTA - Minister of Law Supratman Andi Agtas said the change in retirement age was the substance of the Draft Law on the Third Amendment to Law Number 2 of 2002 concerning the National Police to accommodate justice.

Supratman said the change in the retirement age of the members of the National Police was regulated to adjust to the revision of laws on law enforcement and other civil servants.

"This is a matter of justice. So, if it's about the retirement age limit, the civil servant now retires at 60 years old, why. Some are 58 (years), some are 60 (years). The functional for civil servants now are 65 (years). The TNI Law has been amended, then also some, such as the Attorney General's Law, has also changed (to) 60 years," he said as reported by ANTARA, Monday, May 25.

According to Supratman, the change in the retirement age also adjusts to the life expectancy.

He believes that the revision of the retirement age in the Polri bill is aimed at producing qualified personnel.

"That's because it's adjusted to life expectancy. That is, the longer our life expectancy, our productive age, the longer it (retirement age) will be. And it will produce qualified law enforcement officers. It will definitely be determined to take that into account. So this is the aspect of justice alone," he said.

In addition, the Minister of Law and Human Rights denied the assumption that this change would have implications for the extension of the term of office of the National Police Chief.

He emphasized that the highest position in the police institution was entirely the president's authority so that there was no correlation with the change in retirement age in the Police Bill.

"Will it be extended or not? It depends on the president. So, it is the prerogative of the president regarding who will serve. It has nothing to do with it at all," he said.

The DPR RI and the government have begun discussing the Polri Bill. In a meeting in Senayan on Monday, Commission III of the DPR RI and the Ministry of Law both stated that the adjustment of the retirement age was the substance of the revision.

Chairman of Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Habiburokhman, said that the regulation regarding the retirement age of the members of the National Police was adjusted to the needs of the organization in a clearer and more measurable way.

Meanwhile, the government recommends that the DPR discuss and regulate the adjustment of the retirement age of members of the National Police as part of the training of professional human resources and is oriented towards the interests of the organization and the country.

The Police Bill has been designated as a DPR initiative proposal in the plenary session last week. Commission III, which deals with law enforcement affairs, has also agreed to establish a Working Committee (Panja) for the Police Bill, led by Habiburokhman.