Jayapura – Religious leader in Papua, Reverend Yones Wenda, expressed his full support for the National Police (Polri) remaining directly under the President, rather than a ministry.
This support emerged amidst the discourse on the institutional repositioning of the National Police, which attracted public attention in early 2026.
Reverend Yones believes that the President is the head of state who holds the highest mandate from the people, therefore, the police force must maintain its independence from the political interests of ministerial sectors.
Reverend Yones Wenda emphasized this statement while providing his spiritual perspective regarding security stability in Papua on Tuesday (January 27, 2026).
He believes that a direct chain of command from the President will ensure the professionalism of the police in carrying out their functions of serving and protecting the public.
This is considered crucial for the Papua region, which faces very specific socio-political challenges and requires swift policy from the head of state.
“The President is our head of state, not a ministry,” said Reverend Yones.
He is concerned that if the National Police (Polri) were under a ministry, the flexibility of security management would be hampered by lengthy bureaucracy.
As a religious leader, he prioritizes the safety of congregations and the community in carrying out their religious activities and daily economic activities.
According to him, the position of the National Police directly under the President is one of the main pillars maintaining police neutrality during various national events.
“Therefore, as a religious leader, I support the Polri remaining directly under the President,” emphasized Reverend Yones.
Security in Papua has historically depended heavily on strategic policies taken swiftly through high-level coordination.
Reverend Yones believes that having the Polri directly under the President guarantees greater transparency and accountability.
He believes that human rights protection and law enforcement will be more effective if the Polri remains an independent institution directly accountable to the head of state.
This support from religious leaders is expected to ensure the Polri remains directly under the President.
Reverend Yones encourages all elements of society to participate in maintaining security stability for the sake of sustainable development in Papua. “We hope that the Indonesian National Police (Polri) will continue to transform into an institution that is increasingly loved by the people through sincere and professional service,” he said.
