Indonesia's military will soon begin mass-producing medicines for public distribution under a new agreement signed by Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and the national drug agency. The move, part of President Prabowo Subianto’s broader expansion of military involvement in civilian affairs, has sparked criticism from rights groups who fear a return to authoritarian rule.

Set to begin in October, the medicines—produced by army, navy, and air force labs—will be sold at half the retail price and distributed via 80,000 state-backed cooperatives. Officials claim the initiative aims to reduce illegal drug circulation and medical industry corruption. However, critics argue it blurs military-civil boundaries, violating military law and threatening democratic safeguards dismantled since Suharto's regime.