By: Fajar Dwi Santoso*
The People’s Representative Council of the Republic of Indonesia (DPR RI) emphasized that the discussion of the revision of Law Number 2 of 2002 concerning the Indonesian National Police (Polri Law) will take place openly.
Commission III of the DPR has committed to involving various experts in discussions regarding the draft law to ensure that the resulting regulations have a strong and transparent foundation.
Member of Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Hinca Pandjaitan, emphasized that until now his party has not received a presidential letter (Surpres) regarding the revision of the Police Law. However, he ensured that if the letter is received, the discussion will be carried out with a transparent mechanism as applied in the revision of the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP).
Hinca explained that Commission III of the DPR has a track record of prioritizing the principle of openness in every discussion of laws. This is evident from the process of discussing the revision of the Criminal Procedure Code which was carried out transparently, involving various stakeholders, and accompanied by a clear presentation of substance to the public.
If discussions on the National Police Bill begin, a similar approach will be applied by inviting various experts and relevant stakeholders to ensure that the resulting regulations reflect the interests of the wider community.
According to Hinca, the revision process of the National Police Law is not an initiative of the DPR, but rather depends on the steps taken by the government. He emphasized that the discourse on revision that has developed in the public is only a proposal that does not yet have an official basis in the form of a Presidential Decree. Therefore, he invited the public to wait for further certainty regarding the agenda for discussing the regulation in parliament.
The Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, also emphasized that until now the DPR leadership has not received a Presidential Letter regarding the revision of the National Police Law. She highlighted the existence of a document circulating in the community which is referred to as a draft revision of the National Police Law, but she ensured that the document is not the official version received by the DPR. Puan asked the public not to speculate before there is an official document given by the government to parliament.
Furthermore, Puan stated that the problem inventory list (DIM) that appeared in the public space was not an official document that had been included in the DPR’s discussion agenda.
He emphasized that the mechanism of discussion in parliament will remain based on official procedures that prioritize openness and accountability. Every regulation to be discussed in the DPR, including the Polri Bill, will go through a discussion process involving various stakeholders so that the regulation can be accepted by all parties.
Member of Commission III of the House of Representatives from the Golkar Faction, Soedeson Tandra, also assessed that the revision of the National Police Law needs to be reviewed immediately and thoroughly. He emphasized that the discussion of this regulation must be in line with the revision of the Criminal Procedure Code that is currently being discussed in parliament. This is because changes in criminal procedure law regulations will have an impact on various aspects of law enforcement, including police governance.
Soedeson Tandra explained that currently there is no official discourse in the DPR to re-discuss the National Police and Prosecutor’s Office Bill after it was last pushed in 2024. Commission III is still prioritizing the completion of the Criminal Procedure Code Bill before moving on to other regulations.
However, he hopes that the revision of the National Police Law can be discussed immediately after the Criminal Procedure Code Bill is completed, considering that the bill has been included in the 2025 Priority National Legislation Program (Prolegnas).
He emphasized that the discussion of the National Police Bill is very important in order to adjust police regulations to ongoing legal changes. The existence of the new Criminal Procedure Code will have implications for the authority of law enforcement officers, so adjustments are needed in the regulations governing the police institution. Therefore, Soedeson Tandra encouraged the discussion of the National Police Bill to be prioritized immediately after the Criminal Procedure Code Bill has been discussed.
The DPR ensures that every legislative process carried out will be inclusive by involving various parties who have capacity in their fields. Transparency is the main principle in every discussion of the law to ensure that the resulting regulations have strong legitimacy and can be accepted by all elements of society. Thus, if the revision of the Police Law begins to be discussed, the parliament will prioritize transparency by inviting many experts to obtain comprehensive input.
The DPR is committed to making the process of revising the National Police Law an example of transparency in legislation, where each stage will be conveyed to the public clearly and involve active participation from various parties. Thus, the decisions taken will be more representative and in accordance with the needs of the nation in creating effective and accountable regulations.
The discussion of the revision of the National Police Law in the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) confirms the commitment to openness and public participation in the legislative process. Although the DPR has not yet received a Presidential Letter from the government, legislators, including Commission III of the DPR, emphasized that if the discussion begins, a transparent mechanism will be applied as in the revision of the Criminal Procedure Code. Various stakeholders and experts will be involved to ensure that the resulting regulations have a strong foundation and are relevant to the needs of the community.
By prioritizing the principles of inclusivity and accountability, the DPR seeks to make the revision of the National Police Law an example of openness in legislation, so that the resulting legal product can be accepted by all parties and support a better law enforcement system in Indonesia. (*)
*) National Political Observer – Mandala Raya Political Forum
