The Potential Return of the Dual Function of ABRI

By H. Imam Santoso

24 Dec 2025 24 December 2025 05:10 WIB 6 min read reading time: 6 minutes 12 read Updated: 17 Jan 2026 19:15 WIB Updated: 17 January 2026 19:15 WIB

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The filling of civilian positions by the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the Indonesian National Police (Polri) raises public concerns about the return of the Dual Function of ABRI as in the New Order era.

Ilustrasi Gambar oleh Redaksi (Source: AI Generate)

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Table of Contents

4 sections

Dwifungsi ABRI (Dual Function of the Armed Forces)
Expansion of Civil Positions
Back to Fitrah (Nature)
Table of contents

Section 2/3: Expansion of Civil Positions

Finally, Dwifungsi ABRI collapsed, along with the collapse of the New Order in 1998. The concept of Dwifungsi ABRI was abolished. The peak was the abolition of the TNI/Polri Faction in the DPR in 2004, separating the role of the military from practical politics.

Expansion of Civil Positions

The Police officially separated from ABRI, after the 1998 Reformation, precisely based on Tap MPR No. VI/MPR/2000 which officially separated the Police from ABRI and placed the Police under the President. Followed by the birth of Law No. 2 of 2002 concerning the Police, making it a professional civilian institution as an independent law enforcement, confirming the independence of the Police, regulating the direct responsibility of the National Police Chief to the President, and affirming the Police as a civilian law enforcement agency.

After 2 (two) decades have passed, now the Police are tempted again to be able to place their members in 17 ministries/institutions outside the Police organizational structure. This refers to the Republic of Indonesia Police Regulation (Perpol) Number 10 of 2025.

Likewise, the TNI, based on the Revision of Law No. 3 of 2025 concerning the TNI, can place its active members in civilian positions such as BNPT, BNN, BIN, the Supreme Court, and others. Thus, there will be 33 ministries/institutions whose positions are filled by TNI and Polri Members. This implies public concern about the return of Dwifungsi TNI Polri.