Jakarta – The spokesman for the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) yesterday defended the military's business ventures, saying it would be impossible to survive on state funds alone.

If the current government tried to curb – or even try to restrict the military from conducting business – it would be impossible for the armed forces to survive on its state-allocated budget, Vice-Air Marshal Graito Usodo said.

"Suppose there is a new rule or a tightening of the rules, that we are absolutely forbidden to do business ... we will never be able to live on that kind of salary," he said.

Various military bodies thrived during the Suharto regime after forging links with Chinese businessmen. The military's past and present business deals with ethnic Chinese businessmen were dictated by the "situation, needs and opportunity", he said.

"Doing business with them is simpler, so don't just see whether they are indigenous or not since they are indeed the ones with the economic power and money."