JAKARTA, March 20 (Alliance News): Indonesia’s parliament on Thursday approved a controversial amendment to the armed forces law, allowing military officers to hold more government positions, despite concerns over its impact on civilian affairs and democracy.
The amendment, pushed by President Prabowo Subianto’s coalition, expands the military’s role beyond defence, raising fears of a return to the era of late dictator Suharto, under whom ex-general Prabowo served.
The revision now permits military officers to serve in 14 state institutions, including the attorney general’s office and the disaster mitigation agency, up from the previous 10 agencies.
During the plenary session, House Speaker Puan Maharani called for approval, to which lawmakers responded with a resounding “agree,” passing the amendment into law.
Military chief General Agus Subiyanto defended the move, stating that the previous military law, passed in 2004, was outdated and no longer relevant.
Rights groups, however, have strongly opposed the change. Human Rights Watch researcher Andreas Harsono warned that the amendment could undermine accountability, allowing officials to fill more civilian posts with active-duty military personnel.
He accused President Prabowo of attempting to restore military dominance in civilian affairs, a system once marked by abuses and impunity.
Despite government claims of maintaining human rights and accountability, critics argue that the rush to pass the amendment signals a retreat from democratic reforms.
