UGM Lecturers and Students Voice Rejection of TNI Law Revision

SLEMAN, KOMPAS – Around 100 individuals, consisting of students and lecturers from Gadjah Mada University, held an open forum on campus on Tuesday afternoon (18/3/2025). They voiced their opposition to the proposed revision of the Military Law, which is considered to undermine the principle of civilian supremacy.

The free forum was held in the courtyard of Balairung UGM, in Sleman Regency, DI Yogyakarta. Professors and students took turns delivering speeches and shouting chants rejecting the legislative changes.

The students and lecturers also carried several posters expressing their aspirations. Some of the posters read, "Reject the Revision of the TNI Law" and "Return the Military to the Barracks."

A lecturer from the Faculty of Law at UGM, Herlambang P. Wiratraman, in his speech, stated that this action was carried out because the people's representatives were unwilling to listen to public aspirations regarding the TNI Bill. "We know the spirit of this revision is to erode civilian supremacy," he said.

He also stated that there is no urgency for the TNI Law to be revised. Moreover, there is an impression that the revision process is being carried out in a "rushed" manner. "There are many other laws that are important and need to be revised, improved, or established," he said.

Markus Togar, one of the UGM students who participated in the protest, stated that he did not see any meaningful public participation in the formulation of the current TNI Bill. "The process is closed, held inside a hotel, and conducted on a holiday," he said.

Moreover, in terms of substance, the revision of the TNI Law is considered to seemingly revive the dual function of ABRI, which has been buried since the 1998 Reform. "The elimination of ABRI's dual function was one of the demands of students and the public at that time," said Markus.

The protesters then read out a joint statement of position, represented by Herlambang and UGM Faculty of Cultural Sciences lecturer Achmad Munjid. The statement contained five demands.

This, among others, demands the government and the DPR to cancel the revision of the TNI Law which is not transparent, hasty, and ignores the public's voice because it is a constitutional crime. The government and DPR are also demanded to uphold the constitution and not betray the 1998 Reformation agenda by maintaining the principle of civil supremacy and equality before the law and rejecting the dual function of the TNI/Polri.

During the action at UGM, the Chancellor of the Indonesian Islamic University (UUI) Yogyakarta, Fathul Wahid, was also present. Fathul read a poem he composed entitled "We are Ashamed, Pak Dirman".

Many aspirations have been expressed, but have been ignored regarding the plan to revise the TNI Law.

According to Fathul, the poem invites us to remember and emulate the figure of General Sudirman, who in his sick condition continued to fight for the nation and state. "Pak Dirman fought guerrillas for the nation and state, not to gain the throne," said Fathul.

His involvement in the action to reject the revision of the TNI Law, said Fathul, was a form of common sense solidarity to voice concerns. "Aspirations have been conveyed a lot, but they are simply ignored regarding the plan to revise the TNI Law," he said.

As is known, the DPR together with the government are discussing the revision of Law Number 34 of 2004 concerning the TNI. Deputy Speaker of the DPR Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, Monday (3/17/2025), in Jakarta, stated that the discussion of the revision of the TNI Law was carried out openly and was in accordance with the rules and mechanisms for making laws (Kompas, 3/18/2025).

Regarding the dual function issue, Dasco denied it by presenting the results of the discussion. According to him, the rejection on social media did not match the substance of the discussion.

Dasco said that the discussion regarding the revision of the TNI Law so far has only focused on three articles, namely Article 3, Article 47, and Article 53. He said that these articles were not intended to expand the TNI's authority in the public sphere, but rather to strengthen the military institution from within.

Meanwhile, Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi also denied allegations that the revision of the TNI Law was an attempt to restore ABRI's dual function as in the New Order era. The controversial article containing the president's authority to place active TNI soldiers in civilian positions as needed is no longer there.