Beyond Defence, and Erosion of Civilian Control; Redefining the Role of the Army in Indonesia
Recently, the revision of Law No. 34 of Year 2004 on the Indonesian National Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, or TNI) that was passed by Indonesia’s House of Representatives (DPR) in a plenary session on 20 March 2025 became a hot topic in Indonesian media.
It became a hot topic for two reasons: (1) the manner through which Law No. 34 of Year 2004 on TNI (henceforth: the ‘Revised TNI Law’) was passed by the DPR, and (2) the content of some of the changed articles in the Revised TNI Law.
Before we delve into concerns related to points (1) and (2), we first need to discuss the role of the Indonesian army in Indonesian history in some more detail.
Overview of the Military in Indonesian Society
Independence and Liberal Democracy (1945-1958)
TNI has played a prominent role in Indonesia’s political life and Indonesian society since the declaration of independence in 1945, even exhibiting a degree of autonomy from civilian control during the war of Independence. After this war ended in 1949, TNI, regarded by many (and by itself) as the ‘heroes of Independence’, continued to play this prominent role in society and politics. The key underlying motive seems to be a belief within TNI (rooted in the political instability of Indonesia’s early years) that civilian officials are incapable of effective governance and prone to self-serving sectarianism.
After the struggle for Independence was over in 1949, important decisions had to be made regarding the ideological basis of Indonesia and the organization of relations between organs of the state. One can assume this was a difficult and complex task as independence came rather suddenly (with the atomic bombs in Japan in 1945 being crucial in accelerating the transition), while the political leaders of this brand new state of Indonesia were inexperienced in governance. Influential groups taking part in these debates (about the ideological basis and governance) of Indonesia were: (1) the army, (2) Muslim organizations, (3) communists, and (4) nationalists.
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