House looks set to support rise in defense budget<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives' Commission I,
\nwhich oversees foreign affairs, defense and security, looks set
\nto support an increase in the national defense budget to around 2
\npercent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).<\/p>\n
\"The House will work hard to seek other areas and sources from
\nthe 2001 draft state budget to help increase the defense budget
\nby around two percent of the country's 2001 GDP,\" commission
\nchairman Yasril Ananta Baharuddin told journalists here on
\nTuesday after a closed door meeting with Maj. Gen. Gofur Suwarno,
\ndirector general for planning and budget at the defense ministry.<\/p>\n
Accompanying Gofur were Maj. Gen. Purwadi, assistant to
\nIndonesian Military chief on general planning and chiefs of
\nplanning and budget departments in the Army, Navy and Air Force.<\/p>\n
Yasril said the commission regards the allocated amount in the
\ndraft 2001 budget too small.<\/p>\n
\"If we want the military and police to be professional they
\nshould be given an adequate budget,\" he said, citing that
\nIndonesia had the lowest defense budget among neighboring
\nsoutheast Asian states who averaged about 2 percent of their GDP.<\/p>\n
Yasril pointed out that the draft budget only allocated 1.2
\npercent of the GDP to defense.<\/p>\n
Yasril said the commission would schedule a meeting with
\nfellow legislators from Commission IX on finance and state
\nbudget, to seek additional sources of funds so the defense budget
\ncan be boosted.<\/p>\n
The government earlier this month submitted the 2001 draft
\nstate budget which proposes to allocate Rp 2.135 trillion for the
\ndefense budget.<\/p>\n
This includes funding for both the military and police.<\/p>\n
The current budget, which runs for nine-months, allocated Rp
\n1.88 trillion.<\/p>\n
Yasril insisted that the commission's intention to increase
\nthe defense budget was not aimed at beefing the national arsenal
\nbut at improving professionalism along with better maintenance of
\nthe current equipment.<\/p>\n
\"Neighboring countries should not be suspect of the House's
\ncommitment (to increase the defense budget), because we do not
\nintend to expand our military force but rather to support
\nimprovement in the military's professionalism,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Yasril claimed that the commission has also asked the military
\nto minimize its participation in various businesses ventures to
\nallow it more time to focus on its defense function.<\/p>\n
Yasril also pointed out that the unstable security condition
\nin the country is also related to the limited number of police
\npersonnel and equipment.<\/p>\n
\"The number of police personnel must be increased and their
\nequipment must be modernized to allow them to be able to maintain
\nsecurity and order,\" he said, adding that 230,000 Police
\npersonnel were not able to protect a population of 210 million.
\n(rms)<\/p>",
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