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Indonesia’s plan to give civil servants military training draws mixed reactions
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Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto (right) at a military ceremony in Jakarta on Oct 5, 2025. Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin stressed that the civil servants who received military training would not replace the Indonesian armed forces in carrying out core national defence duties.
PHOTO: EPA
JAKARTA – The Indonesian government’s plan to provide military training for thousands of civil servants has sparked mixed reactions among the public and analysts – with some praising the policy’s efficiency, while others question its relevance amid evolving patterns of modern warfare.
Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin announced the plan during a national defence retreat for the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) over the weekend, saying that about 4,000 civil servants from ministries and government institutions in Jakarta will be trained to be military reservists.
