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Calls grow for meaningful public participation in lawmaking
The legislature's habitual use of closed-door meetings to deny opportunities for civil participation is reflected in the EIU's latest Democracy Index, which shows that the country's "civil liberties" score has remained unchanged for almost three decades.
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A protester puts up posters reading “Civilian supremacy“ (left) and “Democracy without uniformed shadows” (center, bottom) during a rally in Jakarta on March 20, 2025, to protest the passage of the revised Indonesian Military (TNI) Law. (Antara/Bayu Pratama S.)
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losed-door deliberations that have become commonplace in bypassing public participation during the legislative process have raised concerns over democratic backsliding in the country, particularly in relation to the revised 2004 Indonesian Military (TNI) Law passed on March 20.
The TNI Law revision has sparked worry among both activists and the general public, as it allows for the military’s expanded role in civilian institutions and noncombat operations, undermining civilian supremacy.
The process of revising the law, which took just one month from the date President Prabowo Subianto sent a letter urging the House of Representatives to commence deliberations until its passage, was also marred by a series of unscheduled closed-door meetings between lawmakers and government officials for the purpose of expediting the legislation.
Human rights activists from the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) stormed the session at a luxury Jakarta hotel, calling on lawmakers to halt deliberations. They were then forcibly removed from the hotel by security guards, who later reported the Kontras members to police on allegations of disturbing public order.
“The main criticism comes from the flawed procedure that undermines civil participation, let alone the substance,” Almas Sjafrina, a researcher at Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), said on Wednesday at a panel discussion in Jakarta.
Read also: Protests break out as House passes TNI bill
The TNI Law revision was not the first to be deliberated in closed-door meetings at an external venue instead of the legislative complex in Senayan, Jakarta.
