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Defense minister not backing down in budget row with TNI
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Security talks -- Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto (right) discusses with Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu (left) prior to a Cabinet meeting at the State Palace in Jakarta on Sept.9. (Antara/Widodo S. Jusuf)
D
efense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu has said he will not revise a 2015 ministerial regulation that the Indonesian Military (TNI) chief says has curtailed his authority to oversee the weapons procurement budget of his forces.
"The regulation does not contravene any law," Ryamizard told reporters at the office of the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Ministry on Friday.
The minister was scheduled to meet with Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto to discuss the issue on Friday, but the meeting was canceled.
TNI commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo previously requested that the regulation, issued by Ryamizard, be annulled following the purchase of a British-Italian made Augusta Westland (AW) 101 helicopter by the Air Force.
(Read also: TNI, ministry in budget row)
The TNI and the ministry have both claimed they were not responsible for the decision to procure the chopper, which became controversial after President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo rejected it in 2015 as too expensive.
Gatot said he did not know anything about the purchase because he could no longer oversee the budget proposals of the three TNI branches: the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. The regulation stipulates that the three forces should directly submit budget proposals to the Defense Ministry. (ary)
