Jakarta – State Minister for State-Owned Enterprises Sugiharto said that Indonesian government has planned to increase its budget for Indonesian Military (TNI).

This increase is aimed at lessening the losses suffered by the state due to the illegal logging actions, that often involve the apparatus. "We have seriously discussed how to stop this illegal logging action by increasing the military budget this year from Rp14.7 trillion to Rp23 trillion," said Sugiharto while giving a speech in a discussion in Jakarta on Tuesday (10/05).

The government hoped that the increase of the budget could eradicate the involvement of the military apparatus in the illegal logging and wood smuggling activities. "This way, the post of soldiers' welfare can be taken from legitimated funds, that are budget," said Sugiharto.

The losses suffered by the state in the wood sector that were caused by illegal logging activities and smuggling have also occured in the fisheries sector. "Indonesia is assumed to have suffered US$5 billion per year due to this illegal fishing action," said Sugiharto. (Tito Sianipar-Tempo News Room)