President Urged to Intervene as Military Accused of Obstructing Corruption Probe

The National Chair of the SETARA Institute, Hendardi, has urged President Prabowo Subianto to immediately intervene and take responsibility following allegations that members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) obstructed a corruption investigation. The case is currently being handled by the Police Corruption Eradication Corps (Kortas Tipikor) and the Metro Jaya Police Special Criminal Investigation Directorate. Hendardi stated that the involvement of military personnel in protecting an individual linked to a corruption case, reportedly involving an official within the Attorney General’s Office, constitutes a serious violation. He argued that such actions not only interfere with legal proceedings but also turn the national defence institution into a shield for corruptors. He warned that when armed forces are used to secure the interests of corruption suspects, the threat is no longer just corruption but a collusion between power, impunity, and the state’s coercive forces. Hendardi also highlighted that this incident is a direct consequence of the military’s expanding role in civilian domains in recent years, including food security and education, which blurs the lines between defence and civil law enforcement. He demanded the President order the TNI Commander to conduct a thorough investigation, make the findings public, and impose criminal sanctions on any personnel found guilty of obstruction of justice. The controversy arose after TNI personnel were spotted guarding the residence of the Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes during a police search related to a corruption case. The TNI clarified that the security was provided following an official request from the Attorney General’s Office and was unrelated to the police search, citing regulations on providing protection to prosecutors.