On Tuesday, May 26, 2026, I had the honor of presenting my testimony on "Security Sector Reform and Military Professionalism in Indonesia" before the Constitutional Court (Mahkamah Konstitusi).

This took place during the Plenary Session for the Judicial Review of Law No. 3/2025 regarding Amendments to the Indonesian National Armed Forces Law (UU Tentara Nasional Indonesia [TNI] No. 34/2004).

In my testimony, I argued that several newly introduced provisions risk distorting the military's primary constitutional mandate and undermining the main role of the TNI as the ultimate coercive instrument within the national defense system to counter external threats.

​This judicial review offers a crucial opportunity to restore the TNI to its professional dignity, reaffirming its identity as a specialized, apolitical "professional group in the management of violence."

​Furthermore, I emphasized the crucial position of the House of Representatives (DPR) as both implementer and symbol of civilian control.

Legislative oversight, specifically through mandatory consultation and approval before the president deploys military force, acts as an indispensable institutional safety anchor, mitigating the systemic risk of executive overreach and abuse of power.

Watch the full plenary session here (in Bahasa Indonesia):