Ministry of Defense to Revise Hijab Rules for Defense University Cadets
The Ministry of Defense says there’s no specific rule banning female cadets from wearing hijab at the Defense University. The hijab rules during basic military training are all about safety and security, especially for activities that need a lot of movement.
This clarification came out after a story went viral on social media about a female cadet candidate who quit because she refused to take off her hijab. The head of the Defense Information Bureau at the Ministry, Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait, said in the Rector’s Regulation of the Indonesian Defense University No. 28 of 2025, there’s no specific ban-in fact, it puts religious devotion as part of the cadet honor code.
The Defense Minister has ordered adjustments to the cadet uniform rules to accommodate hijab for Muslim female cadets. The hijab will be regulated in a uniform and proportional way, considering neatness, discipline, security, safety, and making sure it doesn’t get in the way of movement.
Earlier, female cadet candidate Asma Wafa Andina quit after passing the central selection for the 2026/2027 academic year at the Defense University because she wasn’t willing to take off her hijab. During the interview, the committee questioned whether Wafa would agree to remove her hijab, and she admitted there was no written rule, but Wafa decided to resign on June 24, 2026, with the specific reason ‘not willing to remove hijab’.
https://www.gelora.co/2026/08/