Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), recently provided journalists with the draft of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) Bill. This initiative was undertaken in response to concerns circulating on social media, alleging discrepancies between the circulated drafts and the actual discussions within the DPR. Dasco clarified that the drafts shared online differ from the one being deliberated in Commission I of the DPR RI, with a specific emphasis on reinforcing legal frameworks to prevent future violations, particularly in three key articles.
The three articles under review include Article 3, Paragraph (2) on defense policy and strategy coordination, Article 53 concerning the retirement age of TNI personnel, and Article 47 permitting active-duty TNI personnel to assume roles in certain ministries or government institutions. Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin had previously presented the list of problem inventories (DIM) for the TNI Bill to the DPR, proposing amendments to the existing TNI Law. Sjafrie assured that the revisions solely target the aforementioned three articles, emphasizing civilian supremacy in the TNI’s functions and activities.
The dissemination of the draft to journalists aimed to address misconceptions and criticisms surrounding the TNI Bill. Dasco urged journalists to assess the draft independently to grasp the revisions and address any concerns raised on social media. The primary objective remains to uphold civilian supremacy within the TNI, with the DPR dedicated to transparent discussions and legal enhancements in defense-related policies.
