March 17, 2025
JAKARTA – The deliberation of the Indonesian Military (TNI) amendment bill at the House of Representatives continues to draw criticism from various civil society groups who argue that the proposed draft is not in line with the spirit of reform.
One of the most criticized proposals is the military’s involvement in handling drug abuse.
According to the issues inventory list of the amendment bill, this provision is stated in Article 7, Paragraph 2, Point 17, legitimizing the military’s role in assisting the government to tackle drug abuse, precursors and other addictive substances — a stipulation not included in the original Law No. 34/2004 on the TNI.
Ma’ruf Bajammal, public counsel at the Community Legal Aid Institute, said that drug policy is a civil matter that should be managed using a science-based health approach.
“There is no justification for military intervention in drug enforcement,” Ma’ruf said on Wednesday, as reported by tempo.co.
Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) chairman Muhammad Isnur echoed these concerns, warning that military involvement in drug enforcement could revive the military’s dual-function issues and threaten democracy.
Instead, Isnur urged the government to drop the proposal and adopt a science-based health approach to drug policy.
“The key to solving our drug problem lies here, not by suddenly involving the military,” he said.
The proposal to involve the military in drug enforcement has been under discussion since September 2023.
At that time, then president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo highlighted the country’s 3.6 million drug users and the resulting overcrowding in correctional facilities.
Jokowi said that the TNI had previously suggested that the Main Regiment (Rindam) facility at each Military Command be used as a rehabilitation center. Jokowi requested the then TNI commander, Adm. Yudo Margono, to prepare the mechanism if the suggestion was approved.
The deliberation of the TNI Law amendment bill started on Friday, after the House leadership received a letter from President Prabowo Subianto appointing the government’s representative in deliberating the amendment bill.
In addition to the article on drug eradication, the civil society groups also argued that the proposal to allow military personnel in additional civilian positions blurs the line between military and civilian domains.
“This proposal risks undermining the principle of civilian supremacy. Assigning military personnel to civilian positions strays from their role as a defense force and essentially revives the dual-function system of the Indonesian Armed Forces,” Isnur said.
He argued that assigning military personnel outside their defense role could undermine their professionalism while also disrupting the merit system and career progression of civil servants.
Isnur also warned that this could signal the beginning of a militaristic and authoritarian style of governance.
Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin during a meeting with the House’ Commission I on March 10 said that the amendment bill would allow TNI soldiers to take positions at 15 state institutions.
The current TNI law only regulates 10 institutions, as stipulated by Article 47 Clause 2, in which military personnel do not have to relinquish their military status.
The existing institutions are the Political and Security Coordinating Ministry, the Defense Ministry, the Presidential Military Secretary, the State Intelligence Agency, the State Encryption Agency, the National Resilience Institute, the National Defense Council, the Search and Rescue Agency, the National Narcotics Agency and the Supreme Court.
The proposed additional institutions to allow military personnel to hold postings are the Maritime Affairs and Fishery Ministry, the Attorney General’s Office (AGO), the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBN), which was established in 2008, the National Counterterrorism Agency (2010) and the Maritime Security Agency (2014).