Government's plan to raise budget for military slammed

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

An observer has criticized the government's decision to raise the budget allocations for the military and police without obliging them to promote financial transparency.

Kusnanto Anggoro of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said the military and police had failed to promote transparency as regards their budgets so that "the public have no idea whether these budgets are enough to support their activities on the ground."

"The military is always asking for budget increases but it never reports to the public on how much it earns in profits from its various foundations each year," Kusnanto told The Jakarta Post on Sunday evening.

"Both the military and the police have also failed to be publicly accountable for their budgets, while the House, which approves their budget proposals, has also failed to call the military to account," Kusnanto said.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri unveiled on Friday the draft of the 2003 state budget, which raised military routine spending to Rp 17.8 trillion from Rp 9.5 trillion in 2002, and the military's maintenance and procurement budget to Rp 4.4 trillion from the current Rp 2.2 trillion.

The government also plans to raise the daily meal allowance for soldiers to Rp 15,000 ($1.60) from the current Rp 12,500, and increase soldiers' salaries by 10 percent.

"The government plan to raise the military's maintenance and procurement budget next year is expected to improve its performance in maintaining the country's sovereignty," Megawati said when unveiling the budget.

Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin welcomed the proposed salary increases on Monday, saying that the move demonstrated the government's desire to boost the military's professionalism.

"We welcome the proposal and hope legislators will approve it," Sjafrie told the Post.

He also brushed aside allegations that the TNI had consistently failed to promote transparency and accountability regarding its budget and the military's foundations, saying that "the military's assets, including profits from its foundations, have been audited by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK)."

"We are very transparent," he insisted.

Ridwan Mukti of the House of Representatives' budget committee said that the rise of about 10.4 percent in the military's maintenance and procurement budget was acceptable, considering that the security situation in a number of areas was unpredictable.

According to Ridwan, the rise would not cover the maintenance costs for military equipment, more than 50 percent of which was out of service.

The military complained earlier that its ability to deal with separatist movements and sectarian conflicts around the country had been significantly curtailed as many warships and aircraft were out of service due to budget constraints.

The situation has been exacerbated by the military embargo imposed by the United States and its allies following the bloody violence in East Timor that was blamed on the military.

Thousands of military-backed militia members went on a rampage in 1999 after the former Portuguese colony voted to break away from Indonesia in a United Nations-organized referendum.

Indonesia has also been plagued by serious religious conflicts in eastern areas of the country, such as Ambon in Maluku and Poso in Central Sulawesi, and separatist movements in Aceh and Papua provinces.