TNI Bill Working Committee Discussion Held at Hotel Draws Sharp Criticism

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The discussion on the revision of the TNI Law by the government working committee and Commission I of the DPR, held at the Fairmont Hotel, Jakarta, over two days, namely Friday-Saturday (14-15/3/2025), was deemed peculiar, non-transparent, non-participatory, and rushed. The swift meeting, conducted during the weekend break, was considered a strategy by the government and DPR to pass the TNI Law before the recess period, which is set to begin on March 21, 2025.

Usman Hamid, Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, criticized the actions of the government working committee and Commission I of the House of Representatives (DPR) for holding a closed meeting to discuss the inventory list of issues (DIM) related to the revision of Law Number 34 of 2004 concerning the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) at the Fairmont Hotel. The discussion appeared rushed as the revision of the TNI Law was conducted without transparency and without involving public participation.

According to Usman, the revision of the TNI Law should be conducted with proper processes and principles of good governance. "We urge that the discussion process of the TNI Bill proceeds in accordance with the principles of good governance," he said when contacted on Sunday (16/3/2025).

He also questioned the discussion process conducted during the weekend holiday. This was deemed unusual as it involved the use of luxury hotel facilities and did not comply with the president's instructions regarding budget efficiency.

According to him, the discussion of the revision of the TNI Law can be carried out on working days and using the DPR Building only.

"Strange because it was neither transparent nor participatory, rushed, held during the weekend holiday, and conducted in an expensive hotel that contradicts the recommendation for efficiency. Why not be open, participatory, and efficient by holding it on weekdays and at the People's Representative Building? Why does it seem rushed?" said Usman.

Researcher from the Indonesian Parliament Concern Forum (Formappi), Lucius Karus, suspects that the discussion on the revision of the TNI Law, conducted secretly, is aimed at meeting the target for its ratification in a plenary session before the recess period on March 21, 2025. Therefore, the DPR and the government are currently strategizing to ensure the passage of the TNI Law.

"That's the strategy we've been watching for the past few days through the DPR's hurry meetings and lately (discussions) secretly in hotels. The hurry discussions will be able to deceive the public until they suddenly find out that it has been passed in the plenary session," said Lucius.

Lucius suspects that the working committee meeting held in a concealed location could facilitate all necessary compromises so that groups or factions opposing the proposal could be persuaded to accept what has been stipulated by the drafters of the TNI bill from the outset.

It is known that since Friday-Saturday (14-15/3/2025), the government working committee and Commission I of the DPR held a meeting to discuss the problem inventory list or DIM for the revision of Law Number 34 of 2004 concerning the TNI.

That's the strategy we've been watching for the past few days through the DPR's speedy meetings and lately (discussions) secretly in hotels. The speedy discussions will be able to deceive the public until they suddenly become legalized in the plenary session.

The revision of the TNI Law concerns three clusters that are discussed, namely the Ministry of Defense which handles procurement, recruitment and maintenance of the main weapons system (alutsista); the addition of civilian institutions that can be occupied by the TNI, and the increase in retirement age. Several important aspects of the military, such as professionalism, operational readiness, strategic thinking, and the importance of responding to rapidly changing strategic developments, are not visible.

Regarding ministries/institutions whose positions can be filled by active soldiers, there are six additional institutions from the previous 10 ministries/institutions that can be filled by active TNI. The six additional institutions included in the revised TNI Law are the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), the Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla), the Attorney General's Office, the Supreme Court, and the National Border Management Agency (BNPP).

However, the working committee meeting became tense when three representatives from the Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform barged into the meeting room and asked for discussion of the revised law to be stopped.

"We from the Security Sector Reform Coalition, observers in the defense sector, stop because (the meeting to discuss the revision of the TNI Law) is being carried out secretly and behind closed doors!" shouted Andrie Yunus from the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) during a demonstration in the middle of the meeting, Saturday (15/3/2025).

In addition to giving speeches, they also carried posters that read "DPR and Government Discuss TNI Bill in Luxury Hotels and on Weekends. Hello Efficiency?", "How about taking turns? TNI Becomes ASN, Civilians Take Up Arms!", and "As if They Don't Have Enough to Do, Taking Double Jobs".

Their actions had heated up the atmosphere of the meeting to discuss the revision of the TNI Law attended by members of Commission I of the DPR and representatives of the Ministry of Defense. There was pushing between security officers and protesters to get them out of the meeting room. One of the protesters fell.

"Respected ladies and gentlemen, who claim to want to be respected, we reject any internal discussion, we reject the dual function of ABRI, stop the discussion process of the TNI Bill!" shouted the protesters again.

They also shouted words rejecting the revision of the TNI Law and asking the TNI to return to the barracks. After leaving the meeting room, they still had time to continue giving speeches. However, they soon left the hotel.

Usman Hamid regretted the actions of several security officers against a number of civil society activists, who were peacefully protesting the closed meeting of the TNI Bill at the Fairmont Hotel. According to him, the actions taken by the civil society coalition were only to question reasonable things. So there is no need to treat them improperly.

"Their actions were constitutional and legal because they were part of the implementation of citizens' rights to express their opinions, gather peacefully, and express themselves. We regret the actions of several people who guarded two activists who wanted to convey a peaceful protest against the closed meeting of the TNI Bill," he said.

Regarding the civil society coalition's criticism of the meeting held in a luxury hotel, Chairman of the TNI Law Revision Working Committee and Chairman of Commission I of the DPR Utut Adianto said that legislative consignment meetings by the DPR and the government are usually held in hotels. He gave an example of the discussion of the Attorney General's Bill held at the Sheraton Hotel. Another example is the discussion of the revision of the Personal Data Protection Law held at the Intercontinental Hotel.

Utut also appealed to the public not to worry too much. According to him, the revision of the TNI Law was made to adapt to the times. However, when it comes to partisanship, everyone must have their own concepts and interests. He hopes that fellow citizens will not badmouth each other. (Kompas, 3/15/2025).

According to Utut, after the panja meeting is over, the results will be discussed again in a meeting of Commission I of the DPR with government representatives. It is possible that in that meeting, level I approval will be taken directly before then requesting approval for ratification of the revision of the TNI Law in the DPR Plenary Meeting.

"If the minister is ready, this law is targeted by the Minister of Defense to be passed during this session. If he is ready, we (DPR) are also ready. It does not mean chasing a target, what is important is that it has been discussed as well as possible," he explained.

Regarding the information that the revision of the TNI Law will be passed next week, Utut said that the DPR did not set a target. However, if it can be completed faster, it will definitely be passed quickly too.

"If it's finished today and I think we all agree it's more than enough and good, why not? But we're waiting for the minister. Of the four ministers, at least one will be there," Utut said.