Four Days Left, Why Hasn't Prabowo Signed the TNI Law?

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — President Prabowo Subianto has yet to sign the TNI Law passed by the DPR nearly a month ago. The regulation is one of several documents piling up on Prabowo's desk. Even without his signature, the TNI Law will still be enacted on April 19.

Minister of Law Supratman Andi Agtas stated that President Prabowo is currently not only dealing with signing matters related to the Military Law. There is a specific mechanism from the Minister of State Secretariat (Mensesneg) regarding which laws need to be signed by the President.

"It's not just one; there are many laws that the President wants to sign, there are quite a lot," he said at the Ministry of Law Complex, Jakarta, Tuesday (15/4/2025).

Even so, the TNI Law document is already on Prabowo's desk and is just awaiting the right time. The process of promulgating its regulations will be carried out by the Ministry of State Secretariat after the TNI Law is signed.

Moreover, Supratman did not overly concern himself with the issue of the TNI Law, which was automatically enacted even without the President's signature. "Because it is just a matter of time, especially since we do not know his schedule," he said.

The politician from the Gerindra Party stated that the public need not worry about the enactment process and the content of the TNI Law. This is because the President has not signed it, not due to any secret changes being made.

It's not just one, there are many laws that the President wants to sign, there are many, right?

Referring to Law Number 13 of 2022 on the Formation of Legislation, the President must sign a bill that has been approved by the DPR and the government within 30 days after its ratification. This means President Prabowo Subianto has until April 19, 2025, to sign the TNI Law, calculated from March 20, 2025.

After the 30-day deadline, if Prabowo has not signed, the TNI Law must still be promulgated. This is in accordance with Article 73 paragraph (3) of Law No. 14/2022, which stipulates that the ratification and promulgation of a jointly agreed bill can still proceed without the President's signature if it exceeds the 30-day deadline.

Previously, in an interview with a number of mass media leaders on Sunday (6/4/2025), at the Garudayaksa Padepokan, Hambalang, Bogor Regency, West Java, President Prabowo Subianto thanked all the input given regarding the revision of the TNI Law. He also stated that he would pay special attention to all the input given.

"I will pay special attention now. Maybe I will study paragraph by paragraph. Actually, I thought that the crucial issue in the TNI Law was only the increase in the retirement age. The point is the change there. There is nothing else," he said at that time.

The unclear timing of the enactment of the TNI Law will have a direct impact, especially on the aspect of the retirement age of soldiers. One of them is related to the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy, Admiral Muhammad Ali, who is now 58 years old. Referring to the old TNI Law, the KSAL's term of office should have ended.

However, the Head of the TNI Information Center, Brigadier General Kristomei Sianturi, explained that the decision regarding the retirement age of the KSAL will be determined on May 1, 2025.

"So the final decision will be taken until May 1. We will just wait for the High Rank and Position Council (Wanjakti) meeting," he explained.

The reason is, before the new TNI Law was enacted, the institution was still implementing the old rules. When referring to the new TNI Law, the retirement age of four-star soldiers can be extended to 65 years.

This is stated in Article 53 of the TNI Law, which states that four-star high-ranking officers have their terms of office extended until they are 63 years old. However, if they receive a recommendation from the President, the four-star officer can have his term of office extended twice until he is 65 years old.