Indonesia's lawmaker urges safeguards in TNI counterterrorism plan

 An Indonesian lawmaker warned that proposals allowing the military to handle terrorism through a draft presidential regulation must not weaken democracy or the criminal justice system.

Amelia Anggraini, a member of the House of Representatives’ Commission I, said counterterrorism goals are unquestioned, but the instruments used must ensure accountability and be assessed within national law, security governance, and human rights principles.

“Commission I will seek detailed explanations on the rationale, scope of authority, command structure, and accountability mechanisms, and test alignment with the TNI Law, Terrorism Law, and civilian supremacy,” Amelia said in Jakarta

She said regulation must be structured and planned, warning that without clear criteria, threat definitions, authorization limits, and accountability, there is a risk of labeling critical community groups as “terrorist.”

Public criticism is part of constitutionally protected freedom of expression, she said, adding regulations must ensure military involvement does not intrude into domains that should remain civilian-led.

Amelia said the use of the term “deterrence” for the military requires deeper review, as the TNI Law focuses on military threats, while upstream terrorism prevention falls under police and civilian agencies.

“There must be a clear chain of command and operations,” she said.

She added that granting the military direct enforcement powers must be strictly framed to address terrorism and must not disrupt the structure of the criminal justice system.

Investigations, arrests, evidence gathering, and court proceedings require strict due process standards, she said, warning erosion of safeguards could undermine public trust.

Amelia said military involvement should be limited to specific operations and applied only when threats escalate to armed violence endangering public safety on a wide scale.

“With clear guardrails, the TNI can perform its defense role appropriately while the criminal justice system remains intact,” she said.

Earlier, State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, who is also the president’s spokesperson, responded to questions about a draft regulation on the military’s role in counterterrorism circulating since early January 2026.

Prasetyo said the draft was not final and urged the public to focus on the substance of government regulations rather than speculate about outcomes that have yet to occur.

Indonesia has been a target of terrorist attacks since 2000, and the spread of radicalism and terrorism continues to threaten the country today.

Between 2000 and 2012, more than a dozen attacks struck the capital, including the Australian embassy bombing on September 9, 2004, and the JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotel bombings on July 17, 2009.

On January 14, 2016, ISIS supporters in Indonesia carried out a suicide bombing and shooting attack in Jakarta, killing eight people, including three innocent civilians. In May 2018, a church in the East Java city of Surabaya was also attacked.

One of the most effective ways to break Indonesia’s cycle of radicalism and terrorism is to empower women, who can play a crucial role in protecting children from being misled by terrorist recruiters.