DPN Seen as Potential Threat to Democracy and Civilian Supremacy

JAKARTA - The formation of the National Defense Council (DPN) through Presidential Regulation Number 202 of 2024 has once again drawn criticism from various circles. DPN is considered to have too broad an authority but little public oversight so that it has the potential to harm the principles of democracy and civil supremacy.

The spotlight emerged in a public discussion held by the Democracy Literacy Spectrum (SLD) entitled "Challenging Presidential Regulation 202/2024 on the National Defense Council: Nationalism or Business Interests? Unraveling Defense Politics in Indonesia" in Jakarta, Tuesday, May 19.

The discussion featured Civil Democracy and Supremacy Activist Fauzan Ohorella, State Law Academic Rorano S. Abubakar, and political and legal activist La Ode Noval.

Fauzan Ohorella assessed that the existence of the DPN has the potential to give birth to a superbody institution because it has a large authority with minimal transparency and oversight mechanisms.

"We can see from several articles that are multi-interpretable, such as Article 6 of Presidential Decree Number 202 of 2024 which regulates the Chairman of the DPN Harian to be held by the Minister of Defense. This creates ambiguity because the Minister of Defense is also part of the executor of defense policy, but also leads the coordination of strategic institutions that give consideration to the President," said Fauzan.

According to him, this condition has the potential to create overlapping policies and conflicts of interest in the defense sector.

"Of course there will be potential conflicts of roles and concentration of power in the defense sector," he said.

Fauzan also highlighted a number of business policies that were considered to be in conflict with the Ministry of Defense. He was concerned that DPN could be used for certain business interests if supervision was not strengthened.

"What I worry about is that this DPN will be a tool for business interests," he said.

Therefore, Fauzan encouraged a thorough reform in the defense sector, including strengthening external oversight of DPN policies and activities.

Meanwhile, State Law Academician Rorano S. Abubakar explained that the state defense institution has undergone several changes since the early era of independence, ranging from the State Defense Council in 1946, which changed into the National Resilience Council (Wantannas), to now becoming the National Defense Council through Presidential Decree Number 202 of 2024.

According to him, the establishment of state institutions must be based on the principle of clear functions and measurable institutional needs.

"The basis for the establishment of an institution must look at the aspects of functionalism, clarity, and simplicity as basic principles," said Rorano.

Political and legal activist La Ode Noval also questioned the urgency of establishing the DPN in the midst of a number of institutions that have tasks in the field of national defense and security.

"DPN is an acquisition from Wantannas. Of course we ask, what is the urgency of forming this DPN, even though there is Lemhanas, TNI-Polri, and Menkopolkam which have security and defense functions," said La Ode.

According to him, public concern about the DPN arises because the civil space is increasingly filled with militarism so that the boundaries between civilian and military authority become blurred.