The untouchables: The case for breaking up the National Police

Indonesia has inadvertently created an "untouchable" police force that now poses a threat to democracy, according to a recent report. The wiretapping of President Prabowo Subianto and his ministers by senior police generals is a clear indication of the police's excessive power and influence.

The police force, which was intended to be professional and civilian in nature, has grown in size and authority over the past two decades. Despite efforts to professionalize the force in 1998, it has evolved into a hyper-centralized entity that answers primarily to the president.

This concentration of power has allowed the police to maintain a direct line to the president, granting them political leverage and institutional autonomy. The result has been a police force that is practically untouchable, with no real checks or balances in place.

The only way to address this issue and preserve democracy is to break up the National Police into smaller, more accountable units. This would involve stripping the police of their political leverage, imposing independent oversight, and decentralizing law enforcement. The current system, where the police chief serves at the president's discretion, must be dismantled to prevent further abuse of power.

The ongoing wiretapping scandal is just the latest in a long line of crises that have only served to reinforce the police's position of power. Until significant changes are made, Indonesia risks losing its democracy to an unaccountable police force.