Government to double expenditure on defense

A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government asked on Friday for a 100 percent increase on defense and security spending to Rp 10.5 trillion for fiscal 2004, most of which would go toward strengthening the military and police in dealing with threats against the state.

Defense expenditure makes up 15.4 percent of total proposed 2004 state spending, which amounts to Rp 68.1 trillion.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri told the House of Representatives on Friday that the defense budget would be used to address threats to the country's sovereignty, improve the quality and image of the Indonesian Military and police, and to establish an effective, efficient and accountable police force.

Megawati said some of the defense allocation would be used to enhance international cooperation in fighting terrorism, modernize security and defense equipment, and support government efforts to restore order in conflict areas.

In more detail, the government expects to spend Rp 7.67 trillion on the defense sector, with the remainder going on security.

Megawati did not explain the reasons behind such a sharp increase in the defense and security budget.

Indonesia has been dealing with an increasing terrorist threat for most of the past three years, dating back to December 2000 when bombs exploded almost simultaneously on Christmas Eve in a number of cities around the country.

Terrorists dealt the country its biggest blow in October last year, when bomb attacks in Bali killed 202 people and injured 300 others. The bombing of the JW Marriot Hotel in Jakarta last week proved the country is still vulnerable to terror attacks.

Legislator Ridwan Mukti from the Golkar Party said the defense budget proposed by the government would still be insufficient to build a strong military force capable of maintaining the sovereignty of Indonesia.

Citing an example, Ridwan said that Rp 10.5 trillion would only be enough to buy one squadron of United States-made F-18 Hornets and their support equipment. A squadron consists of between 12 and 16 aircraft.

"How about the other forces, the Navy, Army and police? This really is quite a small allocation," said Ridwan, who is also a member of the House budget committee, which will be responsible for deliberating the government's draft state budget.

In the light of severe budget constraints, the government should be prudent in spending the money available to it, Ridwan said.

"The money could be used to buy spare parts to overhaul existing defense equipment instead of buying new ones," he said.

He was referring to the government's decision to buy four Russian-made Sukhoi jet fighters in May, which has prompted the House to form a committee of inquiry into alleged procedural violations involved in the purchase.

A number of government officials and businessmen have been questioned in connection with the deal. Other will be questioned in the near future.

Ridwan said most of the country's military equipment needed repairing. Indonesia has 34 C-130 Hercules transport planes, but only eight are airworthy. The Navy has 36 warships, but only 11 are seaworthy.

Meanwhile, military analyst Kusnanto Anggoro hailed the increase in defense spending, saying that the increased budget would give greater leverage to the government in defending the nation from terrorists and external threats.

"The increased budget will improve the ability of the government to buy, for example, antiterrorist equipment and to provide antiterrorist training for security officers," said Kusnanto, an analyst with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).