Muhammad Aulia Rahman, Jakarta – Indonesian National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo on Monday firmly rejected proposals to place the police force under a government ministry rather than directly under the president's command.
Speaking before lawmakers during a working meeting with House Commission III, which oversees legal and security affairs, Listyo said he would oppose any move to subordinate the police to a ministry – even if it meant creating a dedicated "police minister" position.
"Before all of you, I want to be clear that I reject the idea of the police being placed under a ministry. Even if I were offered a special post as police minister, I would rather become a farmer," Listyo told the commission.
Listyo, who is serving his second term under former president Joko Widodo, warned that establishing a ministerial post overseeing the police would risk creating dual leadership between the minister and the police chief. Such a structure, he said, could further bureaucratize the institution and slow national security responses.
He argued that keeping the police directly under the president has been Indonesia's standard practice since the force was separated from the armed forces to allow it to focus on maintaining public order rather than serving as a sectoral instrument of ministerial power.
The proposal to place the police under a ministry is among the ideas being discussed by the Police Reform Commission established by President Prabowo Subianto.
Coordinating Minister for Legal Affairs Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the proposal draws on the model of the Indonesian military, which operates under the Defense Ministry. However, he noted that some members of the reform commission believe the current structure – with the police reporting directly to the president – remains appropriate.
"The decision ultimately rests with the president and the House of Representatives, because the structure, duties, and accountability of the police are regulated by law," Yusril said in a statement last week.