Kabupaten Bogor (ANTARA) - Responding to calls for his resignation following nationwide protests, Indonesian National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo affirmed that he will only heed the president's decision.
"Regarding any issues about the police chief, the decision lies within the president's prerogatives. I am a soldier, I will be ready for all possibilities anytime," he said after meeting President Prabowo Subianto here on Saturday.
General Listyo emphasized that his main focus remains on carrying out the president’s directive to restore security. He noted that the current situation requires swift and firm action by security forces to prevent further unrest.
"The president's instruction is clear: the military and the police must respond firmly to any actions that disturb public order," he stated.
He stressed that while the police are committed to protecting citizens’ constitutional right to free expression under Law No. 9 of 1998 on Public Expression of Opinion, there is a clear line between peaceful protest and criminal acts.
"Any actions leading to destruction or arson must be prevented by law enforcement," he asserted.
General Listyo also reiterated that the police are acting professionally, transparently, and accountably to ensure public safety and comfort.
A new wave of protests erupted on Friday (August 29) in multiple Indonesian cities after the death of 21-year-old Affan Kurniawan, an online motorcycle taxi driver, who was struck and killed by a police tactical vehicle during a demonstration near the Parliament Complex in Jakarta the previous day.
Friday’s demonstrations in Jakarta centered on the Parliament Complex in Central Jakarta and the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Headquarters in South Jakarta. Protests also spread to Bandung, Surakarta, Yogyakarta, and Makassar.
By nightfall, many protests escalated into violence. Rioters damaged public facilities, while in Makassar (South Sulawesi) and Mataram (West Nusa Tenggara), local parliament buildings were reportedly set on fire.
