Jokowi Tight-Lipped Following National Security Pow-Wow

Indonesia’s military chief has lobbied President Joko Widodo to make housing for troops a priority, while the National Police seek to add more than 20,000 new recruits next year. (Antara Photo/Oky Lukmansyah)

Jakarta. Indonesian President Joko Widodo met with his top national security officials on Wednesday to reportedly discuss issues concerning military modernization, personnel welfare and other matters.
On Wednesday, Joko held a meeting at the State Palace with National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Marciano Norman, Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Gen. Moeldoko and National Police Chief Com. Gen. Sutarman.

Also invited to the talks were the Air Force, Navy and Army chiefs of staff, Marshall Ida Bagus Putu Dunia, Adm. Marsetio and Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo.
Joko said he asked Moeldoko about the latest developments in the weaponry revitalization program started by former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2010.
The program calls for up to Rp 150 trillion ($12.5 billion) in spending through 2015 to meet Indonesia’s minimum essential force requirements.
“I asked [Moeldoko] about the planning, the budget issues et cetera,” Joko told reporters at a press conference on the State Palace lawn after the meeting.
Moeldoko told reporters at the press conference that the weapons modernization program had been progressing well, citing the roles of the Committee for Defense Industry Policies (KKIP) established in 2012 to supervise the process.
“We’ve achieved 38 percent of [our minimum essential force requirements]. We hope it will reach 100 percent by 2019,” Moeldoko said, adding that this would beat the stipulated 2024 deadline.
Defense spending after 2015 would have to be decided by the president, Moeldoko said, adding that the matter would have to wait until after Joko finished selecting his cabinet members.
The president was expected to announce members of his cabinet on Wednesday evening, but then said the announcement would be delayed indefinitely; Joko later indicated the cabinet announcement was back on. As of press time, the status of his cabinet picks remains unclear.
“We can’t talk about figures yet, but now that we have partly progressed with our strategic plans for military weaponry and equipment, we can simultaneously continue with improving soldiers’ welfare, including by improving housing and health facilities for them, as well as salaries,” the TNI commander said.
Moeldoko said he told Joko that providing housing for soldiers should be a priority among his policies to improve soldier welfare.
“Currently we’ve only been able to provide houses for 244,000 soldiers, out of around 500,000 soldiers,” he said.
“We’re still doing calculations to decide by what year the entire [housing] needs should be met.”
Meanwhile, National Police Chief Gen. Sutarman said that in addition to improving police welfare and better equipping them with transportation, the National Police want to expand their force with 20,300 new recruits next year.
Sutarman said that the recruitment drive was contingent on the force receiving sufficient funding.
“[The recruitment plan] will depend on the state’s capacity to provide funding, including to [improve] police personnel’s welfare,” Sutarman said. “[The president] is still trying to decide what will be given … whether it’s welfare improvement or new equipment.”
Calls from both the TNI and the police for sufficient funding for the welfare of armed services personnel have mounted in recent years in light of growing revelations about soldiers and police resorting to illegal rent-seeking activities and protection rackets to supplement their income.
Defense and security analyst Bantarto Bandoro of the Indonesia Defense University said the meeting indicated Joko’s commitment to revamping the country’s defense and security sector.
Prior to the meeting with national security officials, Joko held bilateral meetings with several foreign dignitaries who attended his inauguration, as well as meetings with his coalition officials.
“[The security meeting] shows Joko’s commitment to and concerns about Indonesia’s security,” Bantarto said.
“It seems that he wants to share with those security institutions his spirit and motivation, in order to improve their performance in the coming years. By showing his support, Joko surely hopes that those security institutions will reciprocate and support his administration. It is part of Joko’s intention to strengthen Indonesia’s national security.”

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