The government's initiative to propose and push the PSDN bill into the national legislative program has been a hot topic recently. The many problems associated with the PSDN Law, dating back 15 years, have already sparked pushback from the public and various experts, culminating in a judicial review petition against the PSDN Law filed with the Constitutional Court.
In response to this issue, FH UGM's Legal Consultation and Aid Center (PKBH) and its Research and Publication Unit (URP), together with the NGO Imparsial, held a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with experts, public figures, and media on Thursday, April 14, 2022. The FGD aimed to push for changes and improvements to the existing PSDN Law. Key speakers included the Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, and Information Systems, Dr. Heribertus Jaka Triyana, S.H., LL.M., M.A. — who also has expertise in International Law — and Dr. Al Araf, Chairman of the Governing Board of Centra Initiative.
In his presentation, Dr. Al Araf explained in detail the legal impacts and consequences that the public would face if the PSDN Law (National Resources Management for National Defense Law) were to be passed. He also provided an overview of the social security situation in countries that have implemented conscription, as part of the potential implications if the PSDN Law is later enacted.
Dr. Heribertus Jaka Triyana, known familiarly as "Jeto," stressed that the FGD represented a significant opportunity for the experts present to explain, from various perspectives, how the PSDN Law would affect social life in the community.
Other experts and practitioners also shared their views and ideas on the PSDN Law, including Agus Budi Rahmanto from the Center for Democracy, Dodik Setiawan Nur Hermanto from Universitas Islam Indonesia, and Sri Wiyanti Eddyono from FH UGM's Department of Criminal Law.
As a follow-up to this focus group discussion, plans are underway to build an advocacy and adjudication network around the implementation of the PSDN Law, bringing together a civil society coalition with FH UGM and Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII), along with research examining the PSDN Law's provisions related to natural resources, criminal law, and international law.
