JakartaPost-Apr 9
President Prabowo Subianto has dismissed mounting concerns over the potential return of military overreach in civilian affairs following the recent controversial revision to the 2024 Indonesian Military (TNI) Law that lacked meaningful public participation, while acknowledging that there should be more transparency on the deliberations of future bills. The House of Representatives passed the law revision on March 20, or just around one month after receiving the President’s letter urging for the revision. The rushed deliberations were also marred by a series of unscheduled closed-door meetings between lawmakers and government officials. Massive protests broke out nationwide shortly after the passage of the law, with protesters voicing concerns about the risk of reviving the military’s dwifungsi (dual function) doctrine imposed under former president Soeharto’s New Order regime. The revised law extends sitting officers’ retirement age, increases the number of state institutions officers can be appointed to without having to retire early and also adds two new roles the armed forces have in non-combat operations. Prabowo, a former Army general and defense minister, however, dismissed the public’s concern on the return of the military’s dwifungsi, referring to it as “nonsense”. “The main point of the amendment is only to expand the retirement age for TNI commanders,” the President said over the weekend, arguing that it will help the institution progress. “How can an organization [develop] if the leaders change every year?” He further claimed that the remaining two provisions were only “formalizing” existing regulations. Regarding the apparent lack of transparency in the TNI Law deliberations, Prabowo acknowledged that the process could have been more transparent. With the TNI Law revision having sparked alarms among civil society groups and students, all eyes are now on a proposed revision to the 2002 Police Law, which is said to grant law enforcement officers greater authority without enhanced oversight. Prabowo, during the same interview, said he will pay “special attention” and read the bill “paragraph by paragraph” in light of the public’s concern, believing the oversight mechanism has already been in place. Read more at: https://www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/2025/04/09/prabowo-says-revival-of-military-dwifungsi-nonsense.html.
