Military's request for Rp 11t

Military's request for Rp 11t

Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto
told President Megawati Soekarnoputri last Friday that the
military needed additional funds, amounting to Rp 11 trillion.
Sutarto said as least Rp 1.3 trillion of that was urgently needed
by the military.

The House of Representatives, however, approved only Rp 1
trillion, both for the military and the Indonesian Police.
Sutarto said the funds would not be used to buy weapons but to
obtain services for military equipment and spare parts for
military airplanes and patrol boats.

The commander also said the funds were badly needed to reform
the institution, maintain national stability and combat the theft
of state funds.

Rp 11 trillion is a huge amount, but still it is less
significant compared with the amount of money embezzled from Bank
Indonesia's liquidity credit (BLBI), amounting to Rp 164
trillion.

If TNI leaders indeed want to reform the institution, the
funds must be used primarily to change the morals of military
members.

Without high moral standards, the state funds are likely to
end up in corruption, collusion and nepotism. -- Republika