DPR Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad remarked in Jakarta on Monday that the bill being drafted aims to revise three articles of the military law, which pertain to the position of the TNI, the retirement age for soldiers, and civilian posts available for active military officers.
Regarding the third point, he clarified that the draft would only regulate existing practices observed across civilian institutions.
"And, of course, you will be able to read and judge the revisions," he told reporters at the Parliamentary Complex.
Ahmad emphasized that the DPR is aware of rising public concerns over the potential resurgence of the military's dual-function role, which he attributed to a lack of clarity surrounding the bill’s formulation.
"We have been monitoring voices opposing the bill on social media and in the mass media. For this very reason, we organized a press conference today to provide clarifying statements," he emphasized.
The lawmaker also referred to the incident at the Fairmont Hotel in Jakarta on Saturday night (March 15), where the parliament allegedly held further discussion on the bill discreetly, drawing protesters who attempted to disrupt the meeting.
He stressed that the DPR is open to feedback, noting that the incident occurred mainly due to the protesters’ unannounced arrival.
"We were not aware of the incident outside the venue. Today, I met with representatives from NGOs for discussions at their request," he remarked.
On the night of the incident, protesters from the Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform voiced their opposition to the military law revision while attempting to break into the meeting venue, demanding that the talks be made public.
"This discussion is illegitimate due to its closed nature," Andrie Yunus, Vice Coordinator of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (KontraS), which is part of the coalition, stated.
Three members of the coalition forcibly entered the venue before being escorted out by security officers.
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Translator: Bagus A, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Primayanti
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