The House is set to pass the law Thursday in a plenary council after a committee overseeing military approved the changes, which will allow armed forces personnel to hold more civilian posts.

Rights groups and student organisations called for protests outside the House on Thursday. 

Rights group Legal Aid Institute said the revision would pull Indonesia back 30 years to an era where the late strongman Suharto used the military to dominate civilian affairs and crush dissent in the country.

"The revision is a legislative crime that threatens Indonesians and the future of democracy," said Arif Maulana, deputy chair of the institute. 

"The discussion of the... bill revision has been rushed, with minimal public participation, and a lack of transparency in the drafting process," it said in a joint statement with Amnesty and the Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation.  

President Prabowo Subianto, a former special forces commander and Suharto's former son-in-law, has expanded the armed forces's role since taking office in October.

The government defends the bill saying it incorporated concerns and watered it down by stipulating that military officers must first resign before being placed in most civilian roles.

A lawmaker from the opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, Nico Siahaan, said the government added more agencies where active soldiers could be appointed, including the state secretariat, Attorney General's Office, as well as the counter-terrorism and narcotics agencies. 

Active soldiers in the Attorney General Office would affect transparency of legal processes involving military personnel, Arif said, adding that there was a risk of armed forces using violence in civilian roles. 

Military officers can already serve in 10 government agencies including the defence ministry. 

Under the proposed changes, they would be able to serve in 16, according to a draft, which would include the Supreme Court, national disaster agency and attorney general's office among others.

The draft also allows for soldiers to hold civilian positions in other government institutions after resigning or retiring from military service.

Allowing the military to be more involved in civilian affairs could also lead to abuse of power, human rights violations, and impunity, said Usman Hamid of Amnesty International Indonesia. 

Budi Djiwandono, the deputy chief of committee overseeing the military law bill, said the government would ensure that it upholds civil supremacy. 

Budi, who is also Prabowo's nephew, added that no active military personnel would be placed in state-owned companies, dismissing concerns they would be involved in business. 

The opposition party urged all parties to monitor the implementation of the law to ensure no further expansion of military roles, Nico said.