RI told to start developing defense industry

Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Despite the recent lifting by the United States of its military embargo, Indonesia should start developing its own defense industry to reduce its dependence on foreign countries, say military analysts.

J. Kristiadi of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Yusron Ihza, director of the Institute of International Studies (LKII) and military observer Salim Said voiced a similar opinion on Tuesday that Indonesia would never be independent and the defense system would remain inefficient if the country continues to procure arms from other countries.

"While accomplishing the national agenda to reform the defense system and the military, Indonesia should determine what kind of arms it should develop in anticipation of possible threats it is and will be facing," Kristiadi told a seminar organized by LKII.

He said the government and the House of Representatives should also review the outdated defense doctrine that puts emphasis on the development of the Army.

"We have to start giving more attention to the Navy and Air Force because Indonesia is a maritime country and potential threats will come in through the sea and air," he added.

The country's arms system is among the weakest in Southeast Asia, despite a bigger part of the defense budget, the second biggest after the education, being spent to maintain at least 147 armament systems and to pay military personnel.

"Our defense system will remain weak and inefficient if we continue relying on the United States, Russia and other countries unless the development of the defense industry starts," Salim said.

He said that Indonesia's defense system became weak for the first time since its 1945 independence after Russia stopped its arms exports in the 1960s and, then, there was a similar experience in 1990s for different reasons. "We will be facing a similar fate if we turn our eyes to China."

Salim said Indonesia should learn a lesson from the 14-year embargo of U.S. military and training aid imposed on Indonesia following the 1991 Santa Cruz massacre in East Timor which forced the military to ground most of its cargo and bombing aircraft and warships.

Yusron said Indonesia could start developing its defense industry by coordinating with relevant state agencies and research and development centers and by allocating a sufficient defense budget.

"Indonesia has experts at the National Nuclear Power Agency (Batan), aircraft designers at the Bandung Institute of Technology and state-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia, researchers and other experts at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) and the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), arms designers at PT Pindad and PT PAL," he said.

Washington lifted the military embargo after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono held talks with his U.S. counterpart George W. Bush on the sidelines of a recent APEC meeting in Busan, South Korea.

Kristiadi and Salim said the lifting of the military ban was linked to Indonesia's commitment to fulfilling the interests of the U.S. and its allies in Asia.

"Indonesia has demonstrated that it can develop a democracy, giving an impression that Islam, which is followed by most Indonesian people, is compatible with democracy and it has been able to maintain the unitary state," said Kristiadi.

Salim said the lifting of the embargo was the best alternative for the U.S., in order to discourage Indonesia from importing arms from China which the U.S. and its allies perceived as a potential enemy.

"Besides, the U.S. and its allies want Indonesia to be serious in the global war on terrorism and to enhance security along the Malacca Strait," he said.