Indonesia's parliament has approved an amendment to the national police law that permits police officers to serve in civilian government positions, Reuters reports.

The legislature passed the amendment in Jakarta, clearing the way for officers to take up posts in the civilian administration — a practice previously restricted under the framework that separated the police from the military following the fall of the Suharto era.

Under the amended law, police personnel may now be appointed to roles within civilian government. The change marks a shift from the post-1998 reform framework, in which Indonesia separated the national police from the armed forces and confined each institution to distinct spheres.

What the amendment does

The revised statute removes the bar that kept serving officers out of civilian government posts. The parliament, the People's Representative Council (DPR), is the deciding body; the amendment now goes through Indonesia's standard legislative process following passage.

Practical consequence for practitioners

For lawyers advising clients on Indonesian public administration, the amendment changes the compliance picture for appointments to government posts. Practitioners should track implementing regulations that will define which positions open to officers, the procedural requirements for secondment or appointment, and any conflict-of-interest safeguards. Clients in regulated sectors may also face new questions about the identity and status of officials making administrative decisions, including whether an officer-turned-official remains subject to police disciplinary rules. Until implementing rules appear, the practical effect is limited to the statutory permission itself.

Context

The amendment touches a sensitive nerve in Indonesian constitutional history. Reformers after 1998 deliberately separated police and military functions and restricted officers from civilian roles, aiming to prevent a return to the dual-function doctrine of the Suharto period. This amendment relaxes that separation at the statutory level.

The precise scope of eligible positions, transition rules, and any limits on rank or appointment type will depend on implementing regulations issued after the amendment takes effect.