March 31, 2026 | 03:17 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - When Usman Hamid met with House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad and representatives of the working committee on the revision of the Indonesian Military (TNI) Law, he told them that deliberations over the regulatory changes had already sparked protests across the country. In Dasco's office in March 2025, Usman—accompanied by Imparsial researcher Al Araf—questioned the expansion of the military's role in civilian affairs.
"This could bring back the military's dual function and strengthen militarism," Usman said, recalling the meeting when he spoke with Tempo in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia pointed in particular to the addition of civilian posts that could be filled by active-duty soldiers in the draft revision of the TNI Law.
Dasco, who was hosting the meeting, in turn questioned the maneuvers of civil society groups protesting the deliberations over the TNI Law revision. Several days before the meeting between Usman and Dasco, activists had stormed a closed-door working committee session on the TNI Law revision at the Fairmont Hotel in Central Jakarta. The activist who broke into the closed meeting was none other than KontraS Deputy Coordinator Andrie Yunus, who later became the victim of the acid attack on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
According to Usman, Dasco complained that civil society criticism of the TNI Law revision did not align with the contents of the draft being discussed in the House. Usman immediately countered that the legislative process had clearly not been transparent because there were no documents available for civil society to review. A legislator accompanying Dasco joined in to explain that the House had not yet distributed the draft because its contents were still being refined.
Terrorism Is Not a Matter for the Military
21 Januari 2026
The involvement of the military in responding to terrorism will shift the rule of law towards military logic.
The Young Against Militarism
2 Januari 2026
In the era of President Prabowo, signs of strengthening militarism have become increasingly apparent.
Resistance Networks in Yogyakarta
31 Desember 2025
Opposition to the revised TNI Law in Yogyakarta has brought together students, academics, activists, artists, and women's groups.
Students Guarding the Constitution
29 Desember 2025
Law students from several universities have filed petitions for a judicial review of the TNI Law.
Prabowo Subianto's Idea to Expand the Military's Role
20 Oktober 2025
Prabowo expanded the military's role and added new units within a year of his administration. He asked soldiers to be on standby for war.
Indonesian Gov't, House Urge Constitutional Court to Reject TNI Law Judicial Review
10 Oktober 2025
Indonesian parliament and the government have jointly urged the Constitutional Court to reject judicial review petitions challenging TNI Law.
Constitutional Court Rejects Petitions Challenging TNI Law
17 September 2025
The Constitutional Court (MK) has rejected a formal review of the Indonesian Military or TNI Law filed by the Civil Society Coalition.
Constitutional Court Summons Prabowo on TNI Law and SOE Law Reviews
12 Juni 2025
The Constitutional Court will hold plenary sessions on June 23 and 24, 2025, to review two laws, with statements from the Prabowo and the House.
Intimidation of Those Opposed to Militarism
4 Juni 2025
Intimidation of critics of the revised TNI Law is spreading. President Prabowo Subianto's government is becoming increasingly militaristic.
Prabowo Accuses Foreign Powers of Funding NGOs to Sow Discord in Indonesia
2 Juni 2025
Prabowo has previously warned that protests in several regions were influenced by foreign actors.
