Civil Society Coalition Criticises Military Commander's Alert Order as Overstepping Presidential Authority
A civil society coalition has criticised an order from TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto regarding alert level 1 for military units as a step to anticipate domestic developments resulting from conflicts in the Middle East region.
The coalition comprises Indonesia RISK Centre, Imparsial, YLBHI, KontraS, Amnesty International Indonesia, Human Right Working Group (HRWG), WALHI, Centra Initiative, ICW, Legal Aid Institute (LBH) Jakarta and SETARA Institute.
According to the coalition, the TNI Commander’s order via telegram does not align with the Constitution because military force deployment should be under presidential authority, not the TNI Commander’s authority.
“Considering the President holds supreme authority over the army, navy and air force (Article 10 of the 1945 Indonesian Constitution). This is reinforced in Article 17 of Law No. 34 of 2004 regarding TNI, which confirms that authority for TNI force deployment rests with the President,” the coalition stated in a written statement on Monday (9 March).
The coalition believes that assessing national security developments and geopolitical dynamics, as well as deploying TNI, should be undertaken by the President and Parliament as representatives of the people.
Therefore, the TNI Commander should not and cannot make assessments of the existing situation.
The coalition stated that TNI is a state defence instrument and therefore its role is only to implement state defence policies created by the President.
The coalition also views the urgency of military involvement at present with alert status one as unnecessary.
According to the coalition, the current national defence and security situation remains under control by the civilian government and law enforcement authorities.
There is no real escalation of threats to state sovereignty that would require military involvement within the framework of alert level one.
“The coalition urges the President and Parliament to evaluate and revoke the telegram because it does not align with the Constitution and there is no urgency for it,” the coalition said.
TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto previously ordered his units to alert level 1 as a precautionary measure against domestic developments resulting from Middle East region conflicts.
The order is contained in TNI Commander Telegram No. TR/283/2026, signed by the TNI Commander’s Operations Assistant, Lieutenant General Bobby Rinal Makmun, on 1 March 2026.
The telegram contains seven orders. First, TNI Main Operations Command (Pangkotamaops) is ordered to alert personnel and equipment and conduct patrols of strategic vital objects and economic centres.
These patrols cover airports, seaports and river ports, railway stations, bus terminals, and critical facilities such as state electricity company offices and others.
Second, the National Air Defence Command (Kohanudnas) is ordered to carry out early detection and continuous 24-hour air surveillance.
Third, TNI Strategic Intelligence Agency (Bais) is asked to order defence attachés at countries affected by the conflict to gather data and map the situation of Indonesian citizens (WNI), and prepare evacuation plans if necessary.
Bais is asked to coordinate with the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Indonesian embassies and relevant authorities according to escalation in the Middle East region.
Fourth, Kodam Jaya is ordered to increase patrols of various strategic vital objects and embassy areas and anticipate situation developments in maintaining conducive conditions in Jakarta.
Fifth, TNI intelligence units are ordered to conduct early detection and prevention of groups that may exploit the Middle East situation to create unconducive domestic conditions.
Sixth, TNI Central Execution Agency (Balakpus) is asked to implement alert readiness in their respective units.
Seventh, every situation development that occurs must be immediately reported to the TNI Commander.
TNI Information Centre Head Brigadier General Aulia Dwi Nasrullah confirmed the TNI Commander’s instruction.
Aulia said that according to the mandate in the TNI Law, one of TNI’s main duties is to protect the entire nation and all of Indonesian territory from threats and disturbances to national and state integrity.
He explained that TNI operates professionally and responsively, which is realised by continually maintaining capability and strength to remain operationally ready, and prepared to anticipate developments in the international, regional and national strategic environment.
“Accordingly, TNI must have high operational readiness, one of which is by implementing routine readiness checks,” Aulia said when contacted on Sunday (8 March).