Lilian Budianto, Jakarta – The Army has increased its arms budget by 6.4 percent to Rp 1.86 trillion (US$202 million) for 2008, in response to an urgent need to replace much of its aging weaponry.
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Agustadi Sasongko announced at a hearing Monday with House of Representatives Commission I on defense, security and foreign affairs, that the Army had raised its budget to around Rp 16 trillion (US$1.73 billion), but Rp 12.73 trillion of that money would go to improving the welfare of personnel.
The Army has raised the salaries of its 298,500 soldiers by 20 percent this year. Apart from routine expenditures, the Army will spend much on operations to maintain security in restive areas and border zones. Agustadi said the budget would also cover maintenance for weaponry, which is estimated to cost some Rp 116.6 billion.
The weaponry capability of the Indonesian Military (TNI) has come under fire after a 46-year-old amphibious tank sank during a military exercise in the waters off the East Java town of Sidoarjo two weeks ago. The accident claimed the lives of seven marines.
The incident took place less than two months after the Navy grounded eight of its Nomad plane following an incident involving a Nomad P-833 plane, which crashed in Aceh, killing three passengers.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has called on the TNI to ground all of its aging war machines to prevent more accidents.
Agustadi said most of the Army's weaponry has been in use for more than 25 years, with some dating back to the 1960s. "We acknowledge the need to renew our weaponry. However, the lack of budget has hampered us," he said.
He said the Army would need some Rp 622 trillion between 2008 and 2024 to build its Army units and replace aging weaponry. "If we fail to meet the budget demands, it will risk weakening the Army's capability, consequently threatening our nation's sovereignty," he said.
The procurement of weaponry has also progressed slowly because some documents are stuck at the Finance Ministry due to legal matters, Agustadi added.
During the hearing, legislator Pupung Suharis of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) questioned frequent clashes between Army soldiers and police personnel, the latest being in Masohi in Central Maluku on February 2.
"What triggered the conflict is actually trivial but it could turn into a massive communal conflict," Pupung said.
Agustadi said the Army would intensify formal and informal dialogue with the National Police, while improving the training for cadets to improve military professionalism.
The Army replaced its Central Maluku battalion commander, Lt. Col. Donny Hutabarat, following the attack on the Masohi Police office by a group of Army soldiers. The Army and police held a reconciliation meeting, and the TNI has launched investigations into the incident. No suspects have been named.