TNI Responds to Pigai's Proposal to Make Human Rights Certification a Promotion Requirement

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) responded to the suggestion from Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai that human rights (HAM) certification be made a requirement for TNI officials to receive promotions or hold certain positions.

TNI's Head of Public Relations (Kapuspen), Major General Muhammad Nas, stated that the TNI is ready to implement such a regulation once it becomes formalized, but so far there has been no discussion regarding the implementation of HAM certification.

"In principle, the TNI is ready to follow existing regulations. If that is indeed the case, but since it hasn’t been discussed yet, if it is mandated, then we are ready. No problem," Nas said at the National Monument, Jakarta, Saturday (19/9/2026).

He added that human rights education has already been integrated as part of the training for TNI soldiers.

Therefore, if HAM certification is eventually set as a requirement for rank promotion or appointments, the TNI will comply accordingly.

"From the beginning, in every training at the officer and non-commissioned officer levels, there has been human rights education," he explained.

Muhammad Nas said that human rights training is not provided separately but is combined with humanitarian law material.

"In fact, human rights and humanitarian law are taught as one integrated package," he added.

He emphasized that the TNI is still awaiting further developments on the certification plan because no formal studies or regulations have officially established it.

Previously, Pigai planned to implement human rights certification as one of the requirements for officials seeking promotions or certain positions within government institutions.

This scheme is planned to apply to officials in the TNI, National Police, civil servants (ASN), and even management levels in the business sector.

Pigai explained that for civil servants, the HAM certification would be one of the requirements for promotion from echelon II to echelon I.

"Therefore, one of the requirements to move from echelon II to echelon I is having a human rights certificate," Pigai said during remarks at the Human Rights Policy Coordination Forum at Hotel Borobudur, Jakarta, Thursday (17/9/2026).

Meanwhile, for the TNI and National Police, the certification is planned to apply to those holding command positions within their units.

"So for the Staff and Leadership Schools (Sespim) it becomes an absolute requirement to assume command. Hence, human rights education is integrated into that training," Pigai said.

Pigai also said that human rights certification is planned to be applied in the business sector, especially for management levels ranging from managers to directors.

To implement this certification, Pigai mentioned that the Ministry of Human Rights still requires a legal basis.

The government is currently processing draft regulations related to human rights development.

"All the certifications carried out by the Ministry of Human Rights must have a legal basis. The legal basis for certification is currently being processed, and we have submitted the draft to the Ministry of State Secretariat," Pigai stated.