Police watchdog plan supported
Police watchdog plan supported
JAKARTA (JP): Constitutional law professors and a legal expert
gave their support on Thursday to the National Police proposal to
set up a special commission to supervise the performance of the
force.
Speaking at a seminar on the draft to be proposed to the House
of Representatives, the experts -- constitutional law professors
Harun Alrasid and Jusril Ihza Mahendra and legal expert
Harkristuti Harkrisnowo -- agreed that such a commission would be
required to establish an independent police force.
Based on article 11 of the proposed draft, the commission
would accommodate people's aspirations for improvement of the
performance of police.
The draft proposed that members of the commission would
consist of legislators and noted figures in society.
"I'm glad this draft includes the formation of the special
commission, since someone needs to keep an eye on our national
police force," Harkristuti said.
Sharing the idea, Jusril, however, underlined that the
National Police chief should only be answerable to the president,
not to others, including the House.
"The chief should be on the same level as the attorney
general, answering only to the president," he said, referring to
Article 12 of the proposed draft, which stipulates that the
president would appoint the National Police chief after receiving
House approval.
But Harun, one of the country's senior constitutional law
professors, advised the police not to propose a new bill and
entirely bury the existing law just to have the legal basis for
the establishment of the special commission.
"I think there is no need to pass a new bill, since the last
one is only two years old... it will be just a waste of energy,"
he said.
The concept of a police watchdog was mentioned earlier this
month by prominent former National Police chief, Awaloeddin
Djamin.
In his view, such a commission should follow Japan's model.
According to Harkristuti, similar commissions have also been
set up in other countries, particularly in Scandinavia.
She added that the authority of the special police commission
in Indonesia should be similar to the National Commission on
Human Rights, or Komnasham, which can issue recommendations only.
The seminar, held by the National Police, was attended by
scores of senior police officers, such as Jakarta Police chief
Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman, and postgraduate students from
several universities.
Moderator of the seminar Anas Saidi questioned the reason for
including House members on the commission.
"If the commission aimed at establishing an independent
National Police force, then the House whose members are from
various political parties should have no right to interfere in
the police work," Anas said. (03)