Megawati under fire over policy on defense budget

JAKARTA (JP): Legislators questioned on Friday President Megawati Soekarnoputri's policy for increasing the 2002 defense budget by 18 percent.

Aberson Marle Sihaloho, a member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), said the significant increase in the defense budget was not urgent at the moment as the situation in Southeast Asia was relatively peaceful and Indonesia was not facing any serious threats from outside the country.

"Megawati's defense policy could spark criticism from numerous sides, while the government at this time is expected to give more attention to helping the economy recover. The significant increase will be a heavy burden for the people because the state budget comes from foreign loans," he said on the sidelines of the House of Representatives plenary session on Friday, at which the President unveiled the 2002 draft state budget.

The government raised the defense budget by 18 percent to Rp 9.4 trillion from Rp 7.9 trillion in 2001. The hike puts it in second place after the social welfare sector.

Ali Masjkur Musa, the chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction at the House, expressed the same opinion, saying that Indonesia did not need powerful armed forces amid the peaceful situation in the region, but professional National Police officers to maintain security and public order at home and to enforce the law.

"There is no urgency for the country to have a powerful armed force as a peaceful situation in Southeast Asia prevails and there is a plaguing economic crisis facing the country," he said.

Aberson also questioned the government's lack of attention to domestic security concerns, including separatist movements in restive Aceh and Irian Jaya.

"It is quite strange that the government allocated only Rp 5 trillion to the security sector while the defense sector gained Rp 9 trillion," he said.

Aberson called on the House's budget committee to remain critical in deliberating the draft budget so that the security sector could get adequate attention to create a conducive climate for foreign investment.

"The security sector must receive serious attention to help create a feeling of safety among the public and minimize security disturbances in order to give certainty to foreign investors," he said.

Aberson also said the government should transfer a majority of soldiers in the Indonesian Military to the National Police which lacks the personnel to maintain security at home.

"Besides making the force efficient, the transfer would help the National Police cope with the personnel shortage," he said.

Ali Masjkur said the government should double the budget for security affairs and the police to encourage a total reform in the police organization and to make them professional in carrying out their duties.

He further said that his faction would not have opposed the defense budget's significant increase if the country had not been facing an economic hardship, while the military should accept that the defense budget was decreased during the economic crisis.

Meanwhile, Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil defended the government's defense policy to revise its artillery, including out-of-date machinery, in the Indonesian Military.

"The defense budget will be spent mostly on updating the Navy and Air Force fleets. The two forces are still operating ships and planes that are between 30 and 40 years old," he said. (rms)