Prabowo reshapes police and military leadership to cement control ahead of 2029 elections

Early in his second year, President Prabowo Subianto has undertaken a systematic overhaul of Indonesia’s two most powerful security bodies. He named Gen. Suyudi Ario Seto, the ex-head of the National Narcotics Agency, as the new National Police chief on October 1, and the same day installed Wahyu Hadiningrat as deputy. Within 24 hours Suyudi launched three waves of reassignments that moved roughly 300 senior and mid-level officers, including the appointment of a new Jakarta police chief and the reshuffling of key headquarters posts.

While he has not yet replaced the TNI chief, Gen. Agus Subiyanto, Prabowo orchestrated a senior army shuffle on October 15, promoting Gen. Maruli Simanjuntak to deputy commander of the armed forces and head of the Border and Remote Area Management Agency, and moving Gen. Tandyo Budi Revita into the army chief-of-staff slot. Several senior military figures were also placed in civilian-linked roles such as deputy defense minister. By inserting officials whose careers are tied to his own network, Prabowo is consolidating patronage and shaping the future succession of the security establishment ahead of the 2029 elections.