Speeding Up Revision Of The TNI Law Is Not The Reason For The DPR To Hold Secret Meetings At Hotels, Sufmi Dasco: It's Open, Invited Institutions

Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, at the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, Monday (17/3/2025). (ANTARA/Good Ahmad Rizaldi)

JAKARTA - Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, clarified the meeting held by Commission I of the DPR with the government regarding the revision of the TNI Law at the Fairmont Hotel, Central Jakarta, on Saturday, March 15. Dasco denied that the meeting was held secretly to speed up the ratification of the TNI Law after Eid.

"I explained, first, there was no reprimand in the revision of the TNI Law. As we know that the revision of the TNI law has been going on since a few months ago. And it was then discussed in Commission I, including inviting public participation," said Dasco at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Monday, March 17.

"Second, that there was no later meeting seemed silent because the meeting held at the hotel was an open meeting. It can be seen on the agenda of the meeting, it was held openly. And indeed the consignment in every discussion of the law does have rules in the regulations for making laws and does not blame the existing mechanisms," he continued.

Dasco said that in his planning the consignment meeting was held for four days. However, due to efficiency, it is only carried out for two days.

In addition, the DPR also invites other institutions, such as the Ministry of State Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Finance, and linguists.

Although only three articles were revised, said Dasco, discussions took time in terms of academic manuscripts to formulate the right words and points of discussion.

"Well, then consignment is needed, that's all. That then these 3 articles have been declared to have finished the discussion, this is also not speeding, but in that mechanism it is submitted to Commission I in this case, the formulating team, Timus Timsin, and then PANJA, which will then carry out according to the mechanism," explained Dasco.

Previously, the Civil Society Coalition for the Security Sector Reform stormed the meeting room of the TNI Law Revision Working Committee at the Fairmont Hotel, Saturday, March 15, afternoon. They brought posters with critical narratives and entered the meeting room.

One of the representatives of the coalition, Deputy Coordinator of KontraS Andri Yunus was seen unfurling posters in the meeting room and voicing protests against the process of revising the TNI Law which was considered closed.

"We, from the Coalition for the Reform of the Observer Security Sector in the field of defense, stop it because this is not appropriate to be held behind closed doors," he said.

Meanwhile, Member of Commission I of the DPR from the PDIP faction TB Hasanuddin said the meeting that had been held since Friday, March 14, yesterday, had discussed 40 percent of the total 92 List of Problem Inventory (DIM).