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Govt proposes five more posts for military officers in TNI Law revision
Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin proposes active military officers be assigned to five more ministries and state agencies in a revision to the 2004 Indonesian Military (TNI) Law, raising the numbers of state institutions with positions allowed to be held by military officers to 15.
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Change of hands: Troops attend a handover ceremony of the Defense Ministry from previous minister Prabowo Subianto to his successor Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin on Oct. 22, 2024, at the Defense Ministry office in Jakarta. (AFP/Juni Kriswanto)
T
he government proposed adding five more ministries and state agencies to the list of institutions where active military officers can be posted during the deliberation for a revision to the Indonesian Military (TNI) Law amid a rising concern of militarism in civilian affairs.
The proposal was conveyed by Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin during a meeting hosted by House of Representatives Commission I overseeing military affairs in Jakarta on Tuesday. Also attending the meeting were Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas, First Deputy State Secretary Bambang Eko Suhariyanto and representatives from the Finance Ministry.
Sjafrie suggested the revision to include five institutions where active TNI personnel can serve in civilian posts without being discharged from active duty.
Article 47 of the prevailing TNI Law prohibits military officers on active duty from holding civilian offices, unless they retire or resign before taking up their positions.
Exceptions can be applied for posts in 10 state bodies related to defense, security and intelligence, based on requests made by the respective heads of the civilian offices. Included in the list of the exempted institutions are the National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas), National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) and the Supreme Court.
Read also: TNI Law revision raises ‘dwifungsi’ fears
In Sjafrie’s proposal, TNI officers should not retire or resign if offered or appointed to high-ranking positions in the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) and the Attorney General’s Office.
