MEF Target Even Harder to Achieve

EDNA CAROLINE PATTISINA

Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto inspects various defense equipment in the courtyard of the Ministry of Defense office, Jakarta, Thursday (20/1/2022).

With the approval of the Defense Ministry’s 2023 budget, worth Rp 134 trillion, the 2024 minimum essential force (MEF) is estimated to reach just 65 percent, instead of the targeted 100 percent.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — After a number of meetings discussing budgetary matters, House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I approved the Defense Ministry’s 2023 budget amounting to Rp 134 trillion, out of the initially proposed Rp 319 trillion. With this budget, it will be even more difficult to achieve the 100 percent minimum essential force (MEF) targeted in 2024. Nevertheless, the amount of the approved budget is comparatively realistic amid the state’s current financial condition, which continues to be affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and global uncertainties.

The 2024 defense budget was approved at a meeting between DPR Commission I, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Andika Perkasa at the legislative building in Jakarta on Monday (26/9/2022). Andika was accompanied by TNI Army chief of staff Gen. Dudung Abdurachman, TNI Navy chief of staff Adm. Yudo Margono and TNI Air Force deputy chief of staff Vice Marshal Gustaf Brugman.

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It was the first time Andika and Dudung were seen together after an earlier report of disharmony between the two. Following the closed-door meeting that lasted over three hours, Andika, Dudung and Prabowo were seen exchanging bro handshakes.

DPR Commission I Chairperson Meutya Hafid said after the meeting that the discussions focused on the proposed defense budget submitted for approval under the 2023 Working Plans and Budgets of Ministries/Institutions (RKAKL). In the end, Commission I approved a defense budget worth Rp 134 trillion for 2023, following several earlier meetings to discuss the proposed amount. The approved budget would be reported to the House Budget Committee (Banggar), after which Banggar would review it with the Finance Ministry.

The Defense Ministry’s proposed 2023 budget was worth Rp 319 trillion, double the 2022 budget amounting to Rp 133.9 trillion (Kompas, 7/6/2022).

Therefore, Commission I had agreed to invite the Finance Minister to find a solution to the problem.

Meutya, a DPR Commission I member from the Golkar faction, said the commission had realized that the total budgetary amount that could be approved was far lower than the proposed amount. Therefore, Commission I had agreed to invite the Finance Minister to find a solution to the problem.

“We have insisted that a meeting be held to discuss the defense budget with the Finance Minister [Sri Mulyani Indrawati]. It is not scheduled yet, but it is part of the meeting’s conclusion,” she said.

MEF hard to reach

Tubagus Hasanuddin, a DPR Commission I member from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction, also acceded that the approved budget was not optimal. It could have an impact on realizing the MEF development plan, and predicted that the MEF would not reach the targeted 100 percent in 2024.

KURNIA YUNITA RAHAYU

Member of Commission I of the DPR from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Faction, Tubagus Hasanuddin, was met at the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, on Tuesday (20/9/2022).

“At most, around 65 percent will be achieved in 2024,” he added.

DPR Commission I member Yan Permenas Mandenas, from the Gerindra faction, expressed his hope that the government would look at increasing the defense budget. Without a sufficient budget, it was feared that the defense spending needs and the plan to modernize the National Defense Weaponry and Systems (Alutsista) in the next 2-3 years would not be realized. In fact, soldiers needed a sufficient Alutsista to carry out their operations.

Although the approved budget did not reach even half of the proposed amount, Prabowo was grateful because DPR Commission I had endeavored to support the budget needs of the Defense Ministry and the TNI.

Nonetheless, the Army would strive to meet its needs with the available budget.

In the meantime, on the sidelines of his visit with Kompas editorial staff on Monday (26/9), Dudung explained that only around 45 percent of the Army’s proposed budget for 2023 had been approved. Nonetheless, the Army would strive to meet its needs with the available budget.

“We understand the nation’s situation. As soldiers, we should be able to [fully] utilize the existing budget,” he said.

Transparency

Anton Aliabbas, the head of the Center for Intermestic and Diplomatic Engagement (CIDE), said the approved defense budget worth Rp 134 trillion, or 42 percent of the proposed amount, was realistic. It must be admitted that the defense sector required a big budget to meet the need to enhance the Alutsista. However, the state still needed funds to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Besides, continued Anton, the Defense Ministry had never released information to the public about the defense sector’s needs. DPR Commission I also held closed-door meetings on the defense budget, whereas publicizing the defense budget and its expenditure plans was necessary as a form of social responsibility.

“The defense budgets of many countries are published on government websites. It is not something secret, because what is [categorized as] confidential concerns the strategy to utilize the Alutsista,” said Anton.

KOMPAS/RHAMA PURNA JATI

A number of defense equipment were displayed at the Joint Call for the Sriwijaya Military Command II at Fort Kuto Besak (BKB) Field, on Monday (31/1/2022).

Echoing Hasanuddin’s sentiments, Anton was pessimistic that the approved budget was not enough to fulfill the 100 percent MEF target in 2024. This was because the implementation of the program required a significant increase in the defense budget. The problem went beyond this, however, as he had observed that while the defense budget had been increased frequently, this was not accompanied by improvements in budget management. A higher budget did not necessary mean increased procurement of Alutsista, either. Personnel expenditure remained the biggest portion of the budget. (NIA/NAD)

(This article was translated by Aris Prawira)