Revision Of The TNI Law Potentially Weakens Democracy Control Against The Military

JAKARTA - Director of Amnesty Internasional Indonesia, Usman Hamid, highlighted the DPR and the government's plan to expand the area of placement of active TNI members in civilian positions through the revision of the TNI Law, especially Article 47 of Law Number 34 of 2004 concerning the Indonesian National Army.

The discourse on expanding the area of civil office for active members of the TNI can be seen in the proposed amendment by adding the phrase Article 47 Paragraph (2) of the TNI Law, as well as other ministries/agencies that require active Soldier staff and expertise in accordance with the President''s policy from the previous sound, 'TNI soldiers can occupy civilian positions in institutions in charge of coordinators of politics and national security, state defense, secretary of the presidential military, state intelligence, state codes, national resilience institutions, national defense councils, national SAR, national narcotics, and the Supreme Court'.

What is needed is to narrow the area of placement of active TNI members in civilian positions. Not expand it. When the TNI Law was passed, the exception of civil office for active TNI members was a transitional nature. Because the influence of military politics is still strong," explained Usman, Sunday, March 9, 2025.

He emphasized that after 20 years since the TNI Law was enacted, the military's political influence should be eliminated, so that the TNI concentrates more on its main duties and functions as a state tool for national defense policies.

In addition, the DPR and the government as civilian authorities have full authority to exercise democratic control over the mandatory military to carry out. But what happens is the opposite. Politically, expanding the area of civil office for active members will clearly expand the influence of military politics in civilian rule, even strengthening military control over civilian rule. As a result, decision-making will be thick with patriarchal residual militaristic culture," added Usman.

He was worried that the expansion of the placement of active TNI members into civilian positions would reduce their professionalism and competence in the military and defense. "The placement in other areas, if not clear, would be threatening. The threat is not just a military threat to civilians, but threatens the military to be unprofessional. They are soldiers, they don't want to be farmers, they don't want to be transportation experts, they are actually to defend the country," said Usman.

Previously, Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives in charge of defense held a RDPU on March 3 '4, 2025 to hear input from experts and non-governmental organizations on issues related to the TNI Bill. One of the inputs discussed in the RDPU is that members of the TNI are allowed to fill civilian positions outside the provisions of Article 47 paragraph (2) of the TNI Law.