Reorientation of the Power Building

Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo

A military member stands guard as President Joko Widodo inspects the readiness of KRI Usman Harun (359) warship at the Port of Lampa Strait in Natuna regency, Riau Islands, Wednesday (8/1/2020). In front of KRI Usman Harun, the President said that his visit was to ensure law enforcement of the country’s sovereign rights over the wealth of marine resources in Indonesia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Facing increasingly complex threats to the existence and sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia, the power development policies of the TNI (Indonesian Military) need to be reoriented. It is no longer just fulfilling the minimum basic needs of the TNI, but also seeing the threats being faced. The politics of the defense budget should also support it.

The increasing complexity of threats faced by Indonesia was disclosed by TNI Commander Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto in an interview with Kompas last weekend. He gave an example, when Indonesia faced the Covid-19 pandemic, the escalation of tensions occurred in the South China Sea due to China\'s claims to the region, including the North Natuna Sea.

Also read: Archipelagic State Defense

"We need a reorientation of power building policies so that we can face non-traditional and traditional threats," said Hadi.

According to the head of the Public Relations Bureau of the Defense Ministry, Djoko Purwanto, the current actual threats are terrorism and radicalism, separatism and armed rebellion, natural disasters, border violations, piracy and theft of natural resources. Moreover, there is still the Covid-19 pandemic, cyberattacks and espionage, as well as drug trafficking.

We need a reorientation of power building policies so that we can face non-traditional and traditional threats,

KOMPAS/EDNA CAROLINE PATTISINA

The KRI Teuku Umar and KRI Tjiptadi warships are prepared for deployment in the TNI (Indonesian Military) Sea Combat Alert operation, which is to be reinforced by air power. A military briefing was held and led by the chief of the Joint Defense Territory Command (Kogabwilhan), Vice Adm. Yudo Margono in Natuna on Friday (3/1/2020).

"For a potential threat, conventional war in the South China Sea. Indeed it is still in the form of showing off strengths, but we remain vigilant and encourage ASEAN as a zone of peace, freedom and neutrality," he said.

In the development of modern warfare, these threats are present at the same time, sometimes even interrelated. To deal with the spectrum of increasingly complex threats, the TNI has developed the capabilities of the Army, Navy and Air Force, in an integrated manner.

Also read: Modern Defense Needs Strengthening of Civil Capability

Djoko further said changes in defense policies have also been made. He gave an example of the policy of synchronizing the TNI unit titles with a national development paradigm that is no longer Java-centric, but Indonesia-centric.

Concept change

However, military observer Connie Rahakundini Bakrie criticized the current development of the TNI\'s power, which has been based on meeting the minimum essential force (MEF). According to her, the purchase of weapons, especially the main weaponry system (Alutsista), should be based on the threats being faced, budget, capacity and capability.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

TNI Commander Marshal TNI Hadi Tjahjanto (center), at Air Squadron 17 Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, Jakarta, Friday (3/7/2020).

Moreover, the concept of building the TNI\'s power is expected to no longer only target the fulfillment of minimum essential force, but must be ideal. Therefore, not only must the MEF be changed, but also the doctrine of the Army, Navy and Air Force needs to be changed so that the defense system is more integrated.

Also read: Alutsista Reform is Prioritized

A member of Commission I of the House of Representatives (DPR) from the PDI-P faction, Effendi Simbolon, added that based on the existing threats, the government should have given more optimal attention to the development of TNI forces. During his 20-year experience as a member of the DPR, there has been no significant policy in meeting the budgetary needs of the TNI. As a result, Indonesia\'s defense equipment continues to be left behind, even by Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

"If something happens, what will we do if they come to our areas to look for logistics. Then, are we ready to face this with the existing defense equipment, war soldier skills and defense strategies that we have,” said Effendi.