Hasto: Foreign Military Bases Contradict Indonesia's Founding History
PDIP Secretary-General Hasto Kristiyanto stated that foreign military bases within the country contradict Indonesia’s founding history.
Hasto made the remarks during his speech at the Pancasila Birth Anniversary ceremony at the PDIP Party School in Lenteng Agung on 1 June 2026. He said Indonesia’s international leadership is eroding because Pancasila is no longer understood as a geopolitical ideology and a new world order framework.
According to Hasto, through the Asian-African Conference, Non-Aligned Movement, Conference of New Emerging Forces, Asia-Africa Islamic Conference, and Anti-Foreign Military Base Conference, Indonesia demonstrated that Pancasila could function within the international system.
‘If anyone thinks Indonesia should have foreign military bases, that contradicts the historical intent of the Republic’s formation,’ Hasto said.
Hasto added that Indonesia’s global leadership is recognised not through military spending, but through contributions to building world civilisation. The Bandung Decalogue, for instance, inspired independence movements across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and helped transform the bipolar world order into a multipolar one.
‘We lead through ideas and concrete actions against what is termed neo-colonialism and imperialism,’ he said.
The government plans to make Bandara Kertajati in Majalengka, West Java, a hub for Hercules C-130 aircraft maintenance in Asia.
The proposal to establish Kertajati as an Asia Hercules MRO centre stems from a US government offer.
Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin announced the plan for Bandara Kertajati to serve as a US Hercules MRO facility during a meeting with the House of Representatives’ Commission I on 19 May 2026.
During the meeting, Defence Minister Sjafrie said US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had made an attractive offer to the Indonesian government regarding the centralisation of C-130 Hercules maintenance and repair across Asia.
The US Air Force’s primary transport aircraft, the C-130 Hercules, would be centralised in Indonesia for maintenance and repair. Hegseth’s proposal was made to Defence Minister Sjafrie during their meeting at the Pentagon in April 2026.
Commission I member TB Hasanuddin, a retired major general of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, urged the government to proceed with caution regarding the agreement to use Bandara Kertajati in West Java as a C-130 Hercules MRO facility.
The PDIP lawmaker stated that the collaboration should not be viewed as a mere aviation industry project, but as having strategic, defence, and national sovereignty dimensions requiring thorough examination.
‘Decisions to accept the US offer to make Indonesia a C-130 MRO hub and designate Bandara Kertajati as its location must be handled with extreme caution and transparency,’ TB Hasanuddin said in a written statement to Parlementaria on 21 May 2026.