Indonesia's parliament has passed amendments to the national police law, allowing serving police officers to hold positions in the civilian government without resigning. The move mirrors recent changes to military law and has drawn criticism from human rights groups.
The amendments expand the role of security forces in civilian governance, raising concerns about authoritarianism and the erosion of professionalism within the police and civil service, while also contradicting a prior constitutional court ruling.
The Indonesian parliament has passed amendments to the national police law, permitting active police officers to serve in civilian government roles without needing to resign. This legislative change, approved unanimously, allows officers to take positions in ministries or state agencies if their expertise is deemed necessary, particularly in areas related to public security, law enforcement, and public service. The revisions also include a one-year extension to the mandatory retirement age for police officers.
This development follows similar amendments made to military law last year, which allocated more civilian posts to soldiers. President Prabowo Subianto, since taking office in 2024, has increasingly integrated police and military personnel into his administration to support programs like his free meals and food self-sufficiency initiatives.
However, the new law has faced significant criticism. Haeril Halim of Amnesty International Indonesia views it as a sign of authoritarianism, where security forces are used to bolster those in power. Muhammad Isnur from Indonesia's Legal Aid Foundation stated that placing active police officers in civilian roles is unconstitutional and detrimental to police professionalism and the civil service merit system. This contradicts a Constitutional Court ruling from the previous year that mandated police officers resign before taking external positions.