This chapter examines the persistent challenges surrounding civilian control over Indonesia’s military operations other than war (MOOTW). Despite nearly three decades of military reform and the promulgation of Law No. 34/2004 on the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), which mandated a formal state political decision for MOOTW initiation, the effective implementation of civilian control over the military’s non-defence assignment remains elusive. In practice, MOOTW initiatives have repeatedly deviated from established legal procedures, often initiated directly by the military via memorandums of understanding (MoUs) or informal presidential directives. This pattern reflects a significant degree of military autonomy and underscores a problematic civilian control. This chapter finds that civilian control mechanisms have been consistently undermined, even when they were clearly mandated. Three interrelated factors contribute to these continued discrepancies: civilian leaders’ pursuit of plausible deniability, the perceived efficacy of military support for local governments, and the insufficient scrutiny from formal oversight bodies, particularly the House of Representatives (DPR). Together, these dynamics create a pattern of non-institutionalised civilian control over MOOTW practice in Indonesia, raising broader concerns over democratic accountability in the country’s civil–military relations.