Defense policy should be rewritten: Analyst<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government should revise its defense policy first before
\nproposing an additional budget allocation of Rp 1 trillion (about
\nUS$ 116 million) for the military and the police to handle
\nsecurity problems.<\/p>\n
Military observer Salim Said said over the weekend that the
\nIndonesian Military's (TNI) budget was based on an outdated
\nnational defense policy that put more emphasis on financing the
\nArmy.<\/p>\n
Thus, the budget did not meet the country's present security
\nneeds, he said.<\/p>\n
If the TNI were to focus on external threats as mandated by
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Decree VII\/2000, the Navy
\nand Air Force should receive the lion's share of the budget.<\/p>\n
\"The government must be clear in the first place about its
\ndefense policy. If the policy is to guard Indonesia's waters, it
\nmeans we need to prioritize training for Navy personnel, the
\nadditional purchase of patrol boats and other things,\" Salim told
\nThe Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
\"If the policy is to deter foreign intruders in our airspace,
\nwe need to strengthen the Air Force by purchasing more radars,
\nspy planes and other things.\"<\/p>\n
Military officials, however, have signaled they would prefer
\nto ignore the MPR decree that urges them to improve their defense
\nfunctions, and instead return to handling domestic security.<\/p>\n
Although the police is officially in charge of domestic
\nsecurity, the TNI maintains its dominant role in handling
\nconflicts involving armed groups.<\/p>\n
The roles of the military, especially the Army, in handling
\ndomestic security problems has become more prominent in conflict-
\nridden areas such as Maluku and Aceh provinces.<\/p>\n
As the military is very much involved in handling internal
\nsecurity rather than its external counterpart, the Army, with its
\n230,000 soldiers, retains a tight grip over the defense budget.<\/p>\n
Most recently, the government proposed to the House of
\nRepresentatives a supplemental budget of Rp 400 billion for the
\npolice to improve domestic security and Rp 600 billion for the
\nmilitary to do the same job, which is actually not theirs to do.<\/p>\n
The House will discuss the proposal during a mid-year budget
\nreview next month.<\/p>\n
The proposal has already received support from some
\nlegislators, including Aberson Marle Sihaloho of the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI-Perjuangan).<\/p>\n
\"But they haven't submitted their proposal to us, so we don't
\nknow how they're going to spend the funds,\" Aberson said.<\/p>\n
He said in approving the TNI and police's request, the
\ngovernment would need to tap its contingency fund.<\/p>\n
In 2002, the contingency fund amounted to Rp 5 trillion,
\nmainly the result of the previous years' surplus in oil and gas
\nrevenues.<\/p>\n
Aberson said the funds were earmarked for emergencies like
\nnatural disasters, riots and refugee problems. The TNI's request
\nfitted more or less into these categories, he asserted.<\/p>\n
Legislator Djoko Susilo of the Reform faction said he would
\ncall on his colleagues on the budget committee to approve the
\nextra budget request.<\/p>\n
But in return, he said, the House would want proof that
\nsecurity did improve in line with the extra funds provided.<\/p>\n
Aberson added the TNI and police's top brass should be held
\naccountable if the public did not notice a general improvement in
\nlaw and order.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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