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Indonesia Susceptible to Foreign Attack: Report
By
Kazi Mahmood, IOL South Asia Correspondent
KUALA
LUMPUR, July 4 (IslamOnline) - Indonesia's national territory is
vulnerable to air and naval attacks from foreign countries due to the
outdated weaponry possessed by the country's Navy and Air Force, a
military report reproduced in a local newspaper said Thursday, July 4,
2002.
Worse
still, most of the country's meager defense spending goes on the Army,
leaving the Air Force and Navy with almost no money for new equipment
and even less for maintaining existing equipment, Air Force Chief of
Staff Marshal Chappy Hakim revealed Wednesday, July 3.
His
declarations shocked the Indonesian military, which is supposedly one
of the most feared and respected in the South East Asian Region.
Indonesia is one of the first nations in this region to have purchased
submarines, well before Singapore. Malaysia only recently ordered
submarines, but they are still not in Kuala Lumpur.
The
Indonesian military is considered mighty by many observers in this
region. This bleak picture by the Air Force Chief of Staff, however,
has not surprised them, a source told IslamOnline.
Currently,
only 93 of the force's total 222 aircraft were operational, and of the
16 air defense radar stations, Chappy added, only 11 were operational.
"This
situation is the result of the small budget we receive each
year," Chappy said during a hearing with House Commission I on
foreign, political and defense affairs in Kuala Lumpur Wednesday and
reported by Antara.
During
a similar hearing, it was disclosed earlier this week, that of the
Navy's warships that were capable of sailing, none were combat capable
due to lack of ammunition. Observers say most of these vessels were
used to carry illegal Indonesians who were being sent off from
Malaysia or Singapore and were wondering on their real military roles.
It
has also been disclosed that only 50 of the Navy's 300 warships were
serviceable. An officer underlined that "these warships are
definitely obsolete, with some of them built in the 1960's."
The
commission reviewing the need of the military was told that Indonesia
as a maritime country did not do enough to maintain its arsenal. The
country only has 15,000 sailors to guard some 17,000 islands leaving
it at the mercy of foreign invasion in case such a scenario was to
occur.
Legislators
have been asked to consider a rise in the Navy's budget to about
US$900 million in fiscal 2003, up from U.S. 150 million this year.
The
additional money was needed to fulfill the Navy's needs in maintaining
its arsenal, as well as for buying new equipment, news agencies added.
Chappy,
appointed April 25, demanded an increase in the Air Force budget. In
addition, Chappy acknowledged that the Air Force had proposed to take
out export credits amounting to U.S.$60 million to purchase equipment.
The
export credits would be spent on, among other things, the purchase of
radars, the upgrading of radar rooms, the purchase of spare parts for
C-130 Hercules aircraft and the overhaul of MK-53 Hawk engines.
Chappy
noted that the poor budgetary conditions had severely affected the
combat readiness of military equipment, especially aircraft.
Citing
an example, Chappy said that currently the Air Force could only
operate seven C-130 Hercules to help with the deployment of troops to
a troubled area. In fact, the Air Force needed 18 C-130 Hercules to
support the deployment of troops to two restive areas.
Indonesia
is the largest Muslim nation on earth, with a population of around 220
million according to latest estimates. It is facing unrest in several
provinces, including those of Aceh and Malukus in principal.
Observers
have accused the military of not doing enough to quell unrests or to
help bring law and order in the country. The lack of funds and of
equipment could now be considered as one of the reason why the
military is always under fire when the country face unrests.
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