Expert: Recommendations from the Police Reform Commission to Prabowo Are Superficial
Police observer from the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS) Bambang Rukminto has criticised the recommendations of the Commission for Accelerating Police Reform (KPRP) as mere superficial reform.
He opined that the recommendations submitted by the KPRP to President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto are only symbolic reform.
“Symbolic or superficial reform only,” said Bambang to CNNIndonesia.com on Thursday (7/5).
Bambang stated that the recommendations produced by the KPRP have not yet answered society’s expectations.
He said that the points of the recommendations instead justify the assumption that Polri reform is just a gimmick.
Bambang stated that this is reflected in the recommendation points which are assessed as not making many fundamental changes to the Polri organisational structure.
“Personnel outside the structure are not prohibited, only limited. The selection of the Police Chief is still by the President, and still needs legislative approval. This means the opportunity for Polri to be pulled into power politics remains large,” he said.
At the same time, Bambang also touched on the KPRP which, among other things, promises to strengthen the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) RI. He demanded that promise, according to him, if they are truly serious about strengthening Kompolnas, then it should not take a long time.
“If serious, it shouldn’t take long; the President should already be able to issue a Presidential Regulation to change the Kompolnas structure, before there is a revision to the Polri Law,” he said.
The KPRP submitted their recommendations to Prabowo on Tuesday (5/5) after working since November 2025.
Based on the draft of recommendations obtained by CNNIndonesia.com from KPRP Member Yusril Ihza Mahendra, there are six points of recommendations conveyed to Prabowo.
First, regarding the institutional position of Polri which remains under the President of the Republic of Indonesia. Second, strengthening Kompolnas RI. The KPRP stated that this strengthening of Kompolnas is in line with Polri’s position under the President.
Third, regarding the mechanism for appointing the Police Chief which remains the same as the current procedure involving the DPR. Fourth, the recommendations also touch on the assignment of Polri members outside policing, which according to them must be regulated in detail in legislation.
Fifth, the KPRP also highlighted institutional aspects and managerial aspects, and finally recommendations for revisions to several laws and regulations starting from the Polri Law to several other rules below it.