Andi Adam Faturahman, Jakarta – The House Defense Commission claims the three articles being discussed during the revision of the Law concerning the Indonesian Armed Forces or TNI Law, namely Articles 3, 47, and 53. Deputy Speaker of DPR Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said there are additional civilian posts that can be taken by active soldiers under Article 47.
"There are 10 posts prior to the revision, and there are additional posts in each institution provided in the law," he said during a press conference at the Senayan Parliament complex on Monday, March 17, 2025.
Under Article 47 of (1) of the TNI Law revision, active soldiers can take ministerial and agency posts, including:
1. Oversee the coordination of political and national security affairs.
2. National defense.
3. National Defense Council.
4. State secretariat dealing with the presidential secretariat and the military presidential secretariat.
5. State intelligence.
6. State cyber and/or encryption.
7. National resilience agency.
8. National Search and Rescue (SAR).
9. National narcotics agency.
10. Border management.
11. Maritime affairs and fisheries.
12. Disaster management.
13. Counterterrorism.
14. Maritime security.
15. Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia.
Dasco exemplified that active TNI soldiers can occupy positions in the Supreme Court, since there is a position for the Deputy Chief Prosecutor for Military Crimes that can be taken by the military.
Border management is included due to the intersection of task and function between TNI and the relevant positions. "These are the additions, so there are no other articles as widely circulated in social media," said Dasco.
Civil society groups previously criticized the TNI Bill as it's deemed inconsistent with the spirit of reform. Chair of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), Muhammad Isnur, said that the proposal to expand positions for active soldiers in civil positions blurs the boundaries between the military and civilians. "This proposal carries the risk of eroding civilian supremacy," said Isnur.
According to him, placing TNI soldiers outside their defense function not only violates the provisions under TNI Law, but risks the weakening of solider professionalism.
Isnur continued, the addition of civil position posts for soldiers will also damage the merit system and the career of civil servants as the TNI is given the red carpet to occupy strategic positions in the civilian sector through the amendment. "It's the same as reviving the dual role of ABRI (Armed Forces of the Republic of Indonesia)," he said.