House commission fights for larger defense budget<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): House of Representatives' Commission I for
\npolitics and security urged the government yesterday to hike its
\nmilitary spending in order to bolster the nation's defense
\ncapability.<\/p>\n
During a hearing with Minister of Defense and Security Gen.
\n(ret.) Edi Sudradjat, the Commission I members expressed concern
\nabout the government's low level of defense spending, which
\naverages only Rp 3.6 trillion ($1.7 billion) a year.<\/p>\n
They said this level was barely sufficient to maintain a
\nstrong force and the equipment needed to defend the nation from
\npotential external threats.<\/p>\n
Aisyah Amini, who chairs the commission, said the Armed Forces
\nmust be allocated a larger budget given the increasing burden of
\nensuring security and defending the nation.<\/p>\n
"Commission I feels that it is necessary to increase the
\nbudget for the improvement of the maintenance of our military
\nhardware, the troops' welfare and other needs," Aisyah, who led
\nthe hearing, said.<\/p>\n
The call for more military spending comes as the government is
\nputting the final touches on its 1995-1996 budget plans. The
\ndraft budget for the fiscal year beginning on April 1 will be
\npresented to the House by President Soeharto in the first week of
\nJanuary.<\/p>\n
In the run-up to the budget presentation, the various
\ngovernment departments usually forge an alliance with related
\ncommissions in the House as they fight for a bigger chunk of the
\noverall budget. Edi at a hearing with the same commission last
\nOctober signaled that he was hoping for a hefty 24 percent hike
\nin defense spending.<\/p>\n
Yesterday he said that Indonesia's total defense spending
\namounts to only 1.7 percent of the Gross National Product and
\nseven percent of the government's budget.<\/p>\n
"If we want to be really serious about defense and security
\nmatters, the defense budget should be at least 3 percent of the
\nGNP," Edi argued.<\/p>\n
The current defense spending level only covers 20 percent of
\nthe maintenance costs for defense equipment. With a 24 percent
\nincrease, the military would be able to cover up to 35 percent of
\nthe maintenance cost.<\/p>\n
"We are really concerned at this situation ... Is it possible
\nto increase the maintenance cover up to 50 percent?" Djoko
\nSasetijo, a House member asked.<\/p>\n
Edi replied that under the present budget constraints, the
\nmilitary is only buying second-hand equipment, or overhauling
\nexisting old weapons so that priority can be given to enhancing
\nthe welfare of servicemen.<\/p>\n
The military is currently in the process of receiving 39 used
\nwarships from the arsenal of the former East Germany and 24 new
\nHawk jet fighters from British Aerospace. The purchase of a
\nbattalion of 50 Scorpion tanks is in the planning.<\/p>\n
House member Didiet Haryadi of the dominant Golkar faction
\nsaid the more sophisticated the military equipment is, the higher
\nthe budget would be. "It is ironic that the defense budget is
\nthat small. All members of Commission I agree that the defense
\nspending level should be raised to up to nine percent of the
\nstate budget, if necessary. But much will depend on the
\ngovernment's good will," Didiet said.<\/p>\n
Another House member commented that the Armed Forces should
\nincrease the daily meal allowance for its members from the
\ncurrent Rp 3,000 to Rp 5,000. (sim)<\/p>",
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