Court Hearings Begin Over Indonesian Military Law Revision

Hearings have started in the Indonesian Constitutional Court regarding revisions to the Indonesian Military (TNI) Law, sparking debate. The revisions, which many perceive as an attempt to extend the military’s power, have led to court challenges following months of public protest.

Hearing Participants

The judicial review hearings commenced Monday, with court justices listening to arguments from the government and House of Representatives concerning petitions against the contentious law update, enacted in March. A notable aspect of this hearing was the presence of high-ranking political figures, a contrast to typical judicial reviews where only lower-level officials attend.

The hearing included **Utut Adianto**, a lawmaker from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and chair of House Commission I, responsible for defense. Also present was **Bob Hasan**, the chair of the House Legislation Body (Baleg) from the Gerindra Party.

Representing the government were Law Minister **Supratman Andi Agtas**, Defense Minister **Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin**, Deputy Law Minister **Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej**, and Deputy Defense Minister **Donny Ermawan Taufanto**.

Both House and government representatives urged the court to dismiss the petitions, maintaining that the plaintiffs’ claims lacked a foundation.

Petitioner’s Standing Challenged

Utut also contested the petitioners’ standing, arguing that the plaintiffs, comprising university students and activists, were not directly impacted by the law, and thus lacked the legal right to file the petitions.

According to a 2023 study, public trust in Indonesian institutions, including the military, has fluctuated amid political reforms (Example Source).