JAKARTA, March 21 — Indonesia's Parliament passed revisions to the country's military law on Thursday, allocating more civilian posts for military officers as hundreds of students and activists protested against the legislation.
Civil society groups have criticised the revisions, saying they could return the world's third-biggest democracy to the draconian 'New Order' era of former strongman president Suharto, when military officers dominated civilian affairs.
Speaker Puan Maharani led the unanimous vote in a plenary council and officially passed the law, saying that it was in accordance with the principles of democracy, human rights, and civil supremacy.
President Prabowo Subianto, who took office in October last year and was a special forces commander under Suharto, has been expanding the Armed Forces' role into what were considered civilian areas, including his flagship programme of free meals for children.
Rights groups have criticised the increased military involvement because they fear it may lead to abuses of power, human rights violations, and impunity from consequences for actions.
The government has said the bill requires officers to resign from the military before assuming civilian posts. One of the departments they do not have to resign from before joining is the Attorney-General's Office.
Lawmaker Nico Siahaan, who was involved in talks on the legislation, told Reuters that there were concerns that officers could be allowed to join state-owned businesses, but that aspect of the law was not revised.
International Institute for Strategic Studies analyst Evan Laksmana said the law does not address problems faced by the Indonesian military, including adding resources for training and standardisation of military hardware.
The revisions also extend the retirement age of officers, which he said could reduce professionalism among soldiers as prospects for promotion would be squeezed.
[caption id="attachment_394396" align="aligncenter" width="1083"]
People take part in a protest outside the Indonesian Parliament against revisions to the country's military law, which will allocate more civilian posts for military officers, in Jakarta, Indonesia, on March 20, 2025. — Picture by REUTERS[/caption]
Protests
Hundreds of students rallied outside the Parliamentary building in Jakarta following the passage of the revisions. Dozens of them burned tyres, and some jostled their way through the gates, television footage showed.
Activists carried signs reading "New Order Strikes Back" and "Take the military back to the barracks."
Amnesty International in Indonesia's head Usman Hamid, who protested against Suharto during the New Order era, warned of the past returning.
"Activists were kidnapped, and some have not returned home. And today, it feels like we are going backwards," he said.
Some students have been camped at the back gate of the Parliamentary building since Wednesday (March 19) evening, demanding that the government remove all military personnel from civilian jobs.
Police officers forced them to leave the building, but they refused, one protester who declined to be named told Reuters.
Military personnel were called in for security in the Parliamentary building to assist police.
"The geopolitical changes and global military technology require the military to transform ... to face conventional and non-conventional conflicts," Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin told Parliament while defending the revised law, although he did not give any specifics.
— Reuters
[caption id="attachment_394397" align="aligncenter" width="1076"]
People take part in a protest outside the Indonesian Parliament against revisions to the country's military law, which will allocate more civilian posts for military officers, in Jakarta, Indonesia, on March 20, 2025. — Picture by REUTERS[/caption]
