Government to double expenditure on defense

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).