Former security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the leading contender for next month's presidential election, has promised to increase Indonesia's defense budget if elected.
"If I am elected president, the Indonesian Defense Forces [TNI] and the National Police will have enough funds to settle domestic conflicts across the country," he was quoted as saying Friday by the state news agency Antara.
Yudhoyono, a retired Army general, was speaking to reporters on a flight him from the resort island of Bali to the East Nusa Tenggara capital of Kupang. He said the military and police receive only a small portion of the state budget, while their weapons and equipment are outdated.
President Megawati Sukarnoputri has actually significantly increased spending on the military and police for the 2004 fiscal year, giving the defense and security sector the second largest portion of the state budget after education.
According to National Development Planning Minister Kwik Kian Gie, it is the first time in Indonesia's history the defense budget has enjoyed the second biggest slice of the pie.
Data from the Finance Ministry's website shows the government allocated Rp10.7218 trillion ($1.14 billion) for defense and security in 2004, compared to Rp8.6614 trillion ($921 million) in the 2003 state budget. In each year, the lion's share of the funds has gone to the military over the police. Yudhoyono did not say by how much he would increase defense and security spending if elected.
Critics claim much of the defense budget is squandered due to the rampant corruption within the armed forces, with funds often being misused or allocated to spurious projects. A major case of military graft was exposed earlier this year when legislators discovered mark-ups in the cost of four Russian-made MI-17 helicopters ordered by TNI.
Legislators said the helicopters should have been valued at $17.6 million, whereas TNI had received $21 million to make the purchase. The scandal deepened when Russia delayed delivery of the choppers because a $3.2 million down payment had gone missing in the military's hands.
Experts say the military generates more than 70% of its funds from "off-budget" operations, including some legitimate businesses, but also through involvement in protection and extortion rackets, illegal mining, illegal logging, prostitution, gambling, and trafficking in narcotics and endangered species.
Critics claim the military has been perpetuating instability in various resource rich regions, such as Aceh, in order to protect its illegal business activities and to increase its influence on the government.
The military has defended its role in big business, arguing the additional revenue is needed to help combat the threats of terrorism and separatism.
Megawati in October 2002 ordered TNI to get out of business, although she admitted a lack of budget support from the government was preventing the military from becoming more professional.
The president also urged soldiers not to moonlight as mercenaries. It's no secret that many members of the armed forces supplement their incomes by acting as private bodyguards and security advisors, while a few rogue officers even serve as hitmen.
Commitment to democracy?
Yudhoyono is enjoying massive popularity with the presidential election just 10 days away and some pollsters are predicting he will receive about 48% of the vote – close to the 50% he needs to win outright and avoid a run-off election in September with whichever candidate comes second.
But critics question his commitment to upholding the democratic freedoms that Indonesia has enjoyed since the fall of former dictator Suharto in May 1998.
At a seminar in North Sumatra capital of Medan in January, Yudhoyono said democracy and human rights should not be considered the absolute goals of the Indonesian nation.
"Democracy, human rights, concern for the environment and other concepts being promoted by Western countries are all good, but they cannot become absolute goals because pursuing them as such will not be good for the country," he was quoted as saying by state news agency Antara.
He said the most important thing for Indonesia is to maintain balance and proper law enforcement. Such comments were quite different from his speeches espousing democracy made to Western audiences.
Critics acknowledge that Yudhoyono is more politically savvy than Megawati, but they claim he is merely using democracy to further his political ambitions and his tune may change if he comes to power. They point out that toward the end of the Suharto regime, Yudhoyono called for a ban on public demonstrations, insisted the military remain in parliament and said Indonesia must limit its number of political parties.
Poverty & prayers
During his campaign rally at Kupang's Floba Mora Square, Yudhoyono stressed the importance of eradicating poverty, which he said had reached 28% in East Nusa Tenggara province and 17% nationwide. He did not spell out how poverty would be overcome.
He also told Kupang's predominantly Christian residents that religious tolerance and harmony must be upheld and respected by all Indonesians, in line with the Pancasila state ideology.
Yudhoyono scotched rumors that he would impose the Islamic Shariah law across the country if elected. "I fully understand that such a negative issue about me is an extraordinary one during the presidential campaign. However, I reasserted that [my running mate] Jusuf Kalla and I are committed to uphold the 1945 Constitution and the values of the Pancasila," he was quoted as saying by Antara. He then performed Friday afternoon prayers at the city's Al Fatah Mosque.
Support from Sugandhi & MKGR
Mutual Cooperation Party (PGR) leader Mien Sugandhi, who once served as Suharto's women's affairs minister, announced Friday she was throwing her weight behind Yudhoyono's presidential bid.
She instructed her party's members and supporters across the country to assist the campaign of Yudhoyono and Kalla.
PGR's parent organization is the Family Mutual Cooperation Association (MKGR), which was one of Golkar Party's founding factions but has since gone its own way. MKGR head Lieutenant General (retired) Soeyono, a former armed forces commander under Suharto, on Wednesday announced the association was supporting Yudhoyono.
Golkar's loss of support from MKGR and other traditional supporters has only furthered a widely held view that the party's presidential candidate, former armed forces commander Wiranto, is unlikely to defeat Yudhoyono in the presidential election.