Brigadier General Arsal, Commander of Cobra Task Force and Former Candidate for Regent of Lumajang

Brigadier General Muhammad Arsal Sahban tackled highway robbery, cattle theft, and illegal sand mining in Lumajang, East Java, by establishing the Cobra Task Force. The former Lumajang Police Chief was even nominated by residents to become regent due to his track record of reducing crime rates.

For his actions, Brigadier General Arsal Sahban has been proposed by several Lumajang residents for the 2026 Hoegeng Awards. Brigadier General Arsal served as Police Chief from 2018 to 2019. He currently holds the position of Senior Policy Analyst in the Criminal Investigation Division of the Indonesian National Police.

Muhammad Maulana Baehaki, a Lumajang resident, stated that Brigadier General Arsal served the community well during his tenure as Lumajang Police Chief. He said Arsal and his police force combated crime through the Cobra Task Force.

“In the past, he served the community well and carried out his duties as a police officer on patrol. He patrolled every day on a motorcycle and also cracked down on motorcycle theft, even using his own salary to reward people who reported or captured cattle rustlers,” Maulana told detikcom on Wednesday (25/2/2026).

Maulana stated that Brigadier General Arsal directly led the Cobra Task Force, which patrolled on trail motorcycles.

“He did not distinguish himself as a Police Chief or anyone else; he remained a police officer, performing patrol duties to maintain security and comfort for residents in Lumajang,” he said.

Maulana still recalls an incident of cattle theft during that period. Brigadier General Arsal reportedly went directly to pursue the perpetrators.

“A search was conducted, and it turned out one resident reported that there was cattle in a sugar cane plantation. Eventually, the Police Chief and his team went there, and after that, a wider search was conducted. During the apprehension, the perpetrator managed to get onto the roof of a house and was carrying a machete. The perpetrator was ultimately caught,” Maulana recounted.

Maulana noted that highway robbery and livestock theft were common problems in Lumajang. According to him, these cases declined after the Cobra Task Force, directly led by Brigadier General Arsal, took action.

“In Lumajang, crimes such as highway robbery and cattle theft were frequent and difficult to eliminate. During his tenure, crime decreased because he went directly to the field and inspected stolen motorcycles that thieves and highway robbers had purchased, making it difficult for these criminals to operate,” he said.

Maulana stated that the Cobra Task Force became well-known in neighbouring regions. He also mentioned that residents from Sidoarjo sought help from Brigadier General Arsal after losing a vehicle.

“There was also a resident from Sidoarjo who met the Police Chief for help because his L300 pickup truck was missing, but the Police Chief could not assist because he was stationed in Lumajang, not Sidoarjo,” he said.

In 2024, Arsal’s name came up as a potential candidate for Regent of Lumajang. Maulana said residents proposed Arsal because of his track record as Lumajang Police Chief.

“He had already been transferred to become an instructor at the Police Academy, and that was because of his dedication to maintaining security and safety in Lumajang. As a result, Lumajang residents had great confidence in him, and he was regarded as a desired candidate for Regent of Lumajang, but he had no desire for such a position,” he said.

No Compromise with Highway Robbery and Hooligan Gangs

Ikhlasun Malik Fajar, a Lumajang native who currently serves as Deputy Secretary General of the Indonesian Islamic Student Association (HMI) National Board, also nominated Arsal for the 2026 Hoegeng Awards. Ikhlasun considered Brigadier General Arsal to be a Police Chief who was close to Lumajang residents.

“He is a simple, principled, and competent figure, committed to how situations develop towards prosperity and tranquillity in society, as evidenced by his tenure as Lumajang Police Chief and his continuing work at the Criminal Investigation Bureau of the National Police,” Ikhlasun said.

Brigadier General Arsal was said to have shown no compromise with hooligan gangs, theft, and highway robbery. Ikhlasun stated that Brigadier General Arsal refused bribery attempts.

“He is clean; he formed a special team called the Cobra Task Force, set up a scheme, monitored it himself, and got involved himself as well. There was no compromise with hooligan gangs or highway robbers, no compromise at all, and he never accepted bribes,” he said.

Nominated by Residents to Become Regent of Lumajang

Ikhlasun stated that Lumajang residents were impressed with Brigadier General Arsal’s leadership during his tenure as Police Chief. In 2024, residents proposed Arsal to become Regent of Lumajang.

“Crime could be reduced drastically, and even a survey institution put him forward as a candidate for regent last year in 2024. But he seems unwilling to enter politics, yet the enthusiasm of residents pushed him forward as a regional leader. We long for such a figure again in Lumajang,” he said.

Ikhlasun considered Brigadier General Arsal to be a figure close to residents. He mentioned that Brigadier General Arsal currently serves as Chair of the Neighbourhood Association (RT) in Tanjung Duren, West Jakarta.

“From what I have observed, he was elected as Neighbourhood Association Chair, and that is behind the scenes, really. He is very approachable with the community. On the public stage, he presents himself as a simple yet firm figure. In Lumajang, he rode motorcycles with the Cobra Task Force to eradicate hooligan gangs and highway robbery,” he said.

A similar account was given by another Lumajang resident, Dani Febri. Dani claimed to have witnessed how Arsal cut off the chain of crime through the Cobra Task Force.

“The Cobra Task Force went down to villages; he directly cut off the roots by coming to villages to check on stolen motorcycles, motorcycles without proper documentation. It was somewhat shocking for villagers, but many people were affected by this action,” Dani Febri said.

Dani said local residents initially resisted. However, the approach taken by Brigadier General Arsal was able to resolve the highway robbery problem at that time.

“The highway robbery problem was dealt with directly and seriously, so crime, especially highway robbery—when outsiders heard about Lumajang, they heard about a robbery city—that decreased immediately, the data shows,” he said.