Celvin Moniaga Sipahutar, Jakarta – Following a series of incidents involving police misuse of firearms, a lawmaker has raised the question of whether Indonesian police should continue carrying guns. I Wayan Sudirta, a member of Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR), voiced his concerns after two recent high-profile cases of police shootings that resulted in civilian deaths.
The first incident occurred on Nov. 22, when Dadang Iskandar, head of operations at the South Solok Police in West Sumatra, fatally shot his colleague, Ryanto Ulil Anshar, in the parking lot of the Police Station. The second case involved the fatal shooting of 17-year-old student Gamma Rizkynata Oktafandy in Semarang, Central Java on Nov. 24, allegedly by police officer Robig Zaenuddin.
In a hearing with Semarang Police and Central Java Police, Sudirta questioned the appropriateness of police carrying firearms, given these recent abuses. "Do we still need the police to carry guns?" he asked, referring to the troubling trend of police violence despite existing regulations on gun use.
Sudirta said that the Indonesian National Police (Polri) are tasked with protecting and serving the public, as outlined in the Constitution. He said that police should use firearms only for self-defense or in extreme situations, not to harm civilians or even other officers. "The use of firearms should be for protecting the people, not for killing them," Sudirta said.
He also suggested that, in the future, police may no longer be allowed to carry firearms, following a global trend where some countries have limited police use of weapons to only the most serious crimes, such as terrorism. Sudirta encouraged the police to reevaluate their use of firearms to prevent further incidents.
Meanwhile, Commission III Chairman Habiburokhman assured the public that an evaluation of firearm use by police officers would be a priority for the commission. He said that a meeting would be scheduled with senior police officials to discuss improving the handling of firearms and to ensure proper oversight.
"We are committed to ensuring justice is served for the victims and will continue to monitor legal proceedings for police officers involved in misconduct," Habiburokhman said. The commission also emphasized the need for ongoing evaluation of Polri's firearm protocols to avoid future tragedies.