Hendrik Yaputra, Jakarta – More than 23,000 people have signed a petition rejecting the return of military dual function in the revision of Law Number 34 of 2004 on the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) or TNI bill. Launched by a civil society coalition on March 16, 2025, the petition on Change.org is nearing its 25,000-signature target.

As of Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 12:00 WIB, Tempo recorded 23,428 signatures – nearly double Tuesday's count of 12,691. The petition was initiated by hundreds of individuals and organizations opposing the revision, which they argue expands the military's role beyond its defense function.

Dimas Bagus Arya, Coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS) and a coalition representative, criticized the revision for increasing military involvement in civilian affairs rather than focusing on TNI transformation.

"This clearly expands the military's role, pushing it further from professionalism," Dimas stated on Tuesday, March 16, 2025. He warned that the revision could undermine the military's professionalism and called for prioritizing the reform of military courts instead.

Despite public opposition, the House of Representatives (DPR) and the government continue discussions on the bill, with the possibility of its approval in a plenary session on March 20, 2025.

DPR Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad acknowledged the public's concerns but urged a careful review of the actual provisions. He clarified that only three articles – Articles 3, 47, and 53 – are being revised, mainly to strengthen internal TNI regulations and align them with existing laws on military appointments to civilian posts.

"If you review the actual articles, you'll understand the context better," said Dasco.

– Novali Panji Nugroho contributed to the writing of this article.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1988351/over-23000-people-sign-petition-opposing-the-tni-bills-passag