Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Rectors of 61 universities told the government Tuesday to tackle poverty and unemployment, as they were key problems that could threaten the security and stability of the country.

In a closed-door meeting with Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono here, the Forum of Rectors, consisting of representatives from state and private universities nationwide, expressed their deep concern over the increasing level of poverty and the unemployment rate, saying they were far more serious than threats from outside the country.

The rector of Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada University, Sofian Effendi, who acted as spokesman for the forum, said after the meeting that the government would not have to deal with domestic security threats if President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla fulfilled their 2004 election pledge to improve the people's livelihoods.

He said social welfare was a crucial issue because the government's failure to deliver it would only invite people to take the law in their own hands.

"Poor people are prone to commit violence or to get involved in moves to topple a legitimate government," he said.

"The Indonesian poverty level has already reached 30 percent and this has been worsened by the natural disasters that have rocked the country in the past three years," he said.

Sofian said that if the poverty level reached 45 percent, the government would have difficulties convincing the public that it has done its job to cope with the problems.

University of Indonesia rector Usman Chatib Warsa said natural disasters, such as flooding and earthquakes, would put whoever was running the government at the time in a very difficult situation.

He said that while the government had done a lot to overcome poverty, there was still much work to be done.

Usman said education was pivotal as in the long run it would produce more intellectual people to develop and foster the country. "Globalization is also a threat to our national defense as it brings problems of injustice and terrorism," the rector said.

J. Kristiadi, a political analyst at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, agreed with the rectors. He asked the defense minister and the rectors to bring the issue to the attention of the President so that the government would work harder to solve the problem.

"Other countries have expressed their commitment to supporting Indonesia's sovereignty and national security for the sake of their economic interests, but the government itself has yet to optimally address the problems that could pose serious security threats," he said.

He said the government should take concrete measures to improve labor conditions and the investment climate, reform the corrupt bureaucracy and combat corruption.

Separately, Minister Juwono defended the government's move to continue with the planned purchase of six more Sukhoi jet fighters from Russia, saying that the move had already been endorsed by the House of Representatives.

"The purchase of the Sukhoi fighters is included in the Rp 3.7 billion (procurement) package that has been approved by the House," the minister said after the meeting.

He said further that the government had planned to complete its Sukhoi fleet within the next three years and to refurbish its existing American F-16 jet fighters.