TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - According to the latest data from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), around 4,472 active-duty soldiers are currently serving in positions within President Prabowo Subianto's administration. The figures were disclosed by Major General Kristomei Sianturi, Head of the TNI Information Center.
Kristomei emphasized that the recent revision of the Indonesian National Armed Forces Law (UU TNI), which was passed two months ago, does not signal a return to military dual functions or an expansion of military authority. "On the contrary, our authority has been limited," he told Tempo during an interview at TNI Headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, on Monday, May 26, 2025.
TNI records show that as of February 2025, the Ministry of Defense has the highest number of military personnel assigned. The detailed distribution of personnel across various ministries and institutions is as follows:
Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs – 74 personnel
Ministry of Defense – 2,534 personnel
National Resilience Council – 57 personnel
State Intelligence Agency – 656 personnel
National Border Management Agency – 12 personnel
National Narcotics Agency – 2 personnel
State Cyber and Crypto Agency – 11 personnel
National Resilience Institute – 223 personnel
Military Secretary of the President – 211 personnel
Supreme Court – 524 personnel
National Counterterrorism Agency – 18 personnel
Sea Security Agency – 129 personnel
National Disaster Management Agency – 2 personnel
Attorney General's Office – 19 personnel
Kristomei explained that these deployments are legal and carried out upon request from the respective ministries or agencies.
"The placements are based on the competencies and specializations of the soldiers," he said.
However, the Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform has rejected the revision of the TNI Law. Comprising groups such as Amnesty International Indonesia and Kontras, the coalition argues that the changes reflect efforts to revive aspects of the New Order regime through Law Number 3 of 2025, which amends Law Number 34 of 2004. One major concern is the perceived expansion of military authority within civilian ministries and institutions.
Ardi Manto Adiputra, a member of the coalition, stated that the law revision shows a trend in which the House of Representatives and the government appear to be granting the military increased flexibility
"This is a paradigm shift that seeks to reduce civilian supremacy," he said during a teleconference on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.
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