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Jokowi calls for prudence in weapons procurement
Jokowi said in a plenary meeting on the implementation of the 2023 State Budget at the Presidential Palace on Monday that that the three government institutions must carefully select their vendors so that the government did not overspend on maintenance and upkeep.
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President Joko “Jokowi“ Widodo (left), Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto (center) converse with a pilot who flies the brand new Hercules C-130 at the Halim Perdanakusumah Airfield on March 8, 2023. (The Jakarta Post/BAI/Agus Suparto)
P
resident Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on Monday warned the Defense Ministry, the National Police and the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) against wasteful spending especially in the procurement of weapons systems from overseas.
Jokowi said in a plenary meeting on the implementation of the 2023 State Budget at the Presidential Palace on Monday that that the three government institutions must carefully select their vendors so that the government did not overspend on maintenance and upkeep.
"Please be careful. Don't buy too much. If we can get maximum benefit, then that's fine, but if not and we have to spend too much on maintenance, up to Rp 21.5 trillion, then we need to take a closer look. Our state budget must remain healthy," Jokowi said.
Jokowi also said that defense and law-enforcement agencies should refrain from making wasteful spending as other government agencies needed funding for basic infrastructure.
"The Defense Ministry, the police, the Attorney General's Office and the State Intelligence Agency spent Rp 29.7 trillion on procurement of these goods. On the other hand, spending for irrigation, dams only stands at Rp 23.5 trillion," Jokowi said.
Last month, the Defense Ministry confirmed it had bought 12 Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets previously used by Qatar, defending the nearly $800 million deal as a fast way to upgrade the Air Force.
Indonesia has long been seeking to overhaul its ageing air fleet which includes United States-made F-16 and Russian Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-30 jets.
