# Dharma Pongrekun

Dharma Pongrekun (born 12 January 1966) is an Indonesian former three-star police general, analyst, evangelist, media personality and politician who served as the Vice Head of the National Cyber and Crypto Agency from 17 July 2019 to 7 October 2021 under Hinsa Siburian. Previously, he served two offices in the Criminal Investigation Agency in 2015 and 2016. He retired from the police force in 2024. He is a declared candidate in the upcoming 2024 Jakarta gubernatorial election and is running with Kun Wardana Abyoto, and academic, as potential vice governor.

## Early life and career

Dharma Pongrekun was born in Palu City, Central Sulawesi Province. He attended elementary and middle school before going to Jakarta for high school. He graduated from Indonesian Police Academy, Bandung in 1988. He had a Master of Police Sciences from Indonesian Police College in 1995 and moving on to get a Master of Management at Universitas Bhayangkara Jakarta Raya, a private university affiliated with the National Police, in 2002. He studied again and earning a Master of Law at Gajah Mada University in 2006. In 2023, Pongrekun received an honorary doctorate in humanitarian studies from MBC University, Depok.
His last position in Indonesian National Police was an analyst affiliated with the Police Education and Training Institute (Lembaga Pendidikan dan Pelatihan POLRI, abbreviated as Lemdiklat Polri), Jakarta with the position of Principal Policy Analyst for Assessments and Development. He held the position from 2021 to 2024.
He is also an evangelist affiliated with Bethany Indonesian Church, a Protestant church. He has been interviewed by people and has gained attention as a media personality. Some of these interviews are posted on YouTube.

## Political views

He is an Independent politician. He has questioned the mainstream education system. He warned the Indonesian government and public of rethinking their acceptance on the International Treaty on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response, "because it is against the stance of pro-people".
Being an evangelist, Pongrekun preached about the need of simple life and to some extent spreading luddite and even fear of technology. In the preaching. Based on the wealth report that he required to submit for his candidacy, Pongrekun does not have a single car.
Pongrekun also held views similar to far-right politicians. He often disseminated many fringe science and conspiracy theories against government policies in vaccines and healthcare.

## Honours
### National honours

During his service in the police force, Dharma Pongrekun received the following awards and decorations:
* National Police Meritorious Service Star, 2nd Class (Indonesian: Bintang Bhayangkara Pratama)
* National Police Meritorious Service Star, 3rd Class (Indonesian: Bintang Bhayangkara Nararya)
* Police Long Service Medal, 24 Years (Indonesian: Satyalancana Pengabdian XXIV Tahun)
* Police Long Service Medal, 16 Years (Indonesian: Satyalancana Pengabdian XVI Tahun)
* Police Long Service Medal, 8 Years (Indonesian: Satyalancana Pengabdian VIII Tahun)
* Medal for Police Education (Indonesian: Satyalancana Bhakti Pendidikan)
* Medal for Advancing Police Organization (Indonesian: Satyalancana Jana Utama)
* Medal for Meritorious Policing Duty (Indonesian: Satyalancana Ksatria Bhayangkara)
* Medal for Concrete Work in the Police Force (Indonesian: Satyalancana Karya Bhakti)
* Medal for Police Operation (Indonesian: Satyalancana Operasi Kepolisian)
* Military Operation Service Medal in Aceh (Indonesian: Satyalancana G.O.M VII)
* Medal for Police Duty in International Peacekeeping (Indonesian: Satyalencana Bhakti Buana)
* Medal for Police Duty in Remote Regions (Indonesian: Satyalancana Bhakti Nusa)
* Medal for National Defense Service (Indonesian: Satyalancana Dharma Nusa)
* Medal for Active International Military Duty (Indonesian: Satyalancana Santi Dharma)

### Foreign honours

United Nations:
* United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES) Medal