Observer States National Police Chief Opens Space for Dialogue to Restore Public Trust
Senior political analyst and Director of the Indonesian Voters Institute (LPI), Boni Hargens, has commended National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo for organising meetings and open dialogues with leaders of the mass media. He considers this a strong signal of the Bhayangkara Corps’ commitment to transparency amidst the recent surge of public criticism towards security apparatuses.
“What National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo is doing serves as an excellent example of building a healthy democracy, including restoring the relationship between security forces and the community. Transparency, dialogue, and a communicative approach are always the best mechanisms to ensure public trust in the government and the state,” Boni stated in a written release on Tuesday.
According to Boni, amidst the polarisation of opinion and the massive spread of pessimistic narratives in digital spaces, a communicative institutional response from the National Police serves as an effective antidote. This openness reflects the public accountability that is a primary prerequisite for a healthy democracy.
Boni added that the government and law enforcement agencies currently face challenges requiring adaptive communication. This is particularly relevant given the emergence of street opposition movements, such as the “Gerakan Indonesia Gelundup” (Dark Indonesia Movement), which utilise digital spaces extensively to erode public trust in the government.
In a political landscape fraught with disinformation, Boni reminded that the state must not merely adopt a defensive stance. “When street opposition successfully builds an ecosystem of negative narratives that spread rapidly, the government cannot simply react defensively. Innovation and alternative breakthroughs are required. This is precisely what the National Police Chief is demonstrating through his open and dialogic approach towards the media community,” said Boni.
Furthermore, Boni believes that the dialogic leadership model shown by Listyo is closely aligned with the grand vision of the current new administration. Public trust must be embraced through transparency rather than through repressive force.
“I am confident that the actions of National Police Chief Listyo Sigit are in line with what the Prabowo-Gibran administration strives for: a democratic government that exists in harmony with its people,” Boni explained.
He reaffirmed a fundamental truth in democratic theory, where public trust serves as the most authentic foundation for state legitimacy. Without it, even the strongest institutions will lose their effectiveness. “Conversely, when public trust is well-maintained, institutions such as the National Police function not only as law enforcers but also as anchors of social stability within a constantly dynamic democracy,” he concluded.