President Prabowo replaces Indonesia police chief Listyo Sigit with narcotics agency head

JAKARTA: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has replaced the country’s police chief, a role currently held by Listyo Sigit Prabowo, with the head of the National Narcotics Agency Suyudi Ario Seto.

Following weeks of speculation over a change in the police chief, the House of Representatives had received a presidential letter proposing Suyudi as the new national police chief, an official said on Thursday (Oct 1). 

Suyudi - a high-ranking police officer who has served as the head of the National Narcotics Agency since August last year - will be formally appointed as national police chief on Thursday afternoon, confirmed House Speaker Puan Maharani.

Listyo has held the position for over five years since former president Joko Widodo’s administration, making him the second-longest serving national police chief, reported local news outlet Jakarta Post.

“This morning, we received a letter from President Prabowo … concerning the proposal to dismiss the current national police chief and appoint a new one,” said Habiburokhman, Chairman of the House Commission III which oversees legal and security affairs, as quoted by Tempo. 

The presidential letter was dated Sep 30. 

The House of Representatives has tasked Commission III to conduct a fit-and-proper test for Suyudi, Habiburokhman said. A fit-and-proper test is an evaluation used to ensure that people holding key roles in sensitive industries are honest, competent, and financially sound. 

“All factions in Commission III have agreed by consensus with the process of replacing Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo with Commissioner General Suyudi (Ario) Seto in accordance with the law,” Habiburokhman was quoted as saying by Jakarta Globe. 

In early August, local media reported, citing sources, that Prabowo had sent a presidential letter ordering for Listyo’s replacement for his post.

The speculation came amid tensions between the police force and the Attorney General’s Office over graft and money laundering probes implicating senior officials at both institutions. 

At the time, the speculations were immediately dismissed by Habiburokhman, who chairs the house committee overseeing legal and security affairs. He said the public should not be “swayed by unsubstantiated rumours”. 

Listyo has remained in office despite calls for resignations following several controversies in the police force during his tenure. 

Under Listyo, the police has faced public backlash over allegations of impunity, abuse of power and police brutality, reported Jakarta Post. 

Public scrutiny especially intensified during nationwide protests in August last year, after delivery rider Affan Kurniawan was fatally struck by an armoured vehicle belonging to the police’s Mobile Brigade.