Indonesia - February 2025

President Prabowo Subianto appointed a currently serving general to run the state’s food procurement company on 11 February, the first time that a general has served in such a role since the military-dominated authoritarian government of Suharto of 1967-1998. Indonesian legal experts and rights activists argued the appointment violated laws that limit the appointment of military service members to government posts to a limited number of defence-related ministries. The move is part of a broader trend of relying on the military to carry out civilian government projects that has raised warnings about a “slippery slope” of return to the military-dominated government of Suharto-era Indonesia. Prabowo-allied members of parliament are also planning to introduce a bill to allow generals to be appointed to top civilian government jobs.

Update: Indonesia ratified amendments to Law No. 34 of 2004 on the Indonesian National Armed Forces on 20 March allowing members of the military to occupy positions in 14 civilian ministries. Military officials will also no longer have to resign or retire in order to take up civilian posts. Indonesian civil society and student activists criticized the lack of transparency of deliberations and the speed with which the bill was passed: only two months after President Prabowo requested it. The announcement was met with large student protests outside the parliament building.

Sources: Reuters, Jakarta Post (1), Jakarta Post (2), Dari Mulut, The Jakarta Post (3)